Chapter 6 The Art of Deception
Azalea clicked her tongue softly. “You’re blinding me.”
Sydney froze, confused. “Huh?”
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“The saintly glow you’re giving off is way too bright.” Only then did Sydney realize that Azalea was mocking her for meddling
Her eyes immediately reddened as she stood there, looking hurt and pitiful.
And, of course, with a beauty shedding tears, some fool was bound to jump out to defend her.
“Azalea, don’t be so shameless! Sydney is just kind and concerned about you. What’s wrong with that? Look at the gap between you and her!”
Azalea brushed off Sydney’s hand and gave her a little smirk. “Is that so? Then, do you all know the training camp spot at Jubilee that Sydney got was actually mine? I gave it up for her.
If someone selected for Jubilee’s training camp didn’t want the spot, they could pass it on. But in reality, very few ever gave Jup such a rare opportunity.
As soon as those words left her mouth, one of Sydney’s supporters turned to stone–her face said it all: I can’t believe what I just
heard.
Sydney was supposed to be the star, the prodigy. For that, Azalea was forced to hold herself back in every subject, per the Larks‘ orders. She couldn’t even sign her name on the stunning paintings she created–those were handed to Sydney instead.
But she had wanted to shine, too, even just a little.
So, behind their backs, she secretly signed up for the Jubilee training camp. Her plan had been to surprise them with the results. But whether it was in her past life or this one, in their eyes, Sydney was always the only one worthy of such opportunities.
Gasps erupted around them. “Had Azalea really given up the spot, didn’t that mean her talent far exceeded Sydney’s?”
The art teacher didn’t deny her claim either. That spoke volumes.
“And she’s switching to academic classes now? She really must be crazy.
People began to glance at Sydney differently. Who could say what was true in a powerful family like the Larks, with all that drama about real and fake daughters?
Sydney almost couldn’t hold her expression. Her mask cracked for a split–second, revealing a flicker of real jealousy and
hatred.
How could Azalea say that out loud?
Wasn’t she afraid of upsetting her? Of being scolded by their parents and brothers?
In Sydney’s eyes, Azalea should be groveling right now–desperate to be welcomed back into the family, doing everything to please her.
She was supposed to be the foil, the one who made Sydney shine even brighter. The one who helped her become the perfect, gracious daughter of the Larks.
At that moment, two figures stood quietly outside the open classroom door, taking everything in.
Hubert Lennox hadn’t expected this. He’d just come to drop his nephew off at school and check on the institution he’d invested in–and now, unexpectedly, he saw her again.
But she didn’t look like he remembered. Her life now seemed much worse.
That girl, is her name Azalea?” Hubert watched the thin silhouette in the classroom. Somehow, she looked even skinnier than the photos from three years ago. Hadn’t grown much either.
And those shoes…
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Heren’t those the ones she wore on her 15th birthday? She went home, and things sonichote got worse?
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Wylie Lennox gave Hubert a strange look. As far as he remembered. Hubert had left Draywick three years ago to expand his business overseas–he couldn’t possibly know the newly found Larks daughter.
“Yeah. You know her?”
“I’ve heard of her. Isn’t she from the Larks? Doesn’t look like it, Hubert said casually as if just making small talk about someone he vaguely remembered hearing about.
Wylie didn’t think much of it. “Everyone in our circle knows she’s treated worse than a servant over there. Heard she fell out with them recently and moved out.”
Hubert nodded. ‘Go to class. I’ve got to chat with your principal
He had no intention of stepping into the classroom. As he turned to leave, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick message
to his assistant.
When Levi Harrington, his assistant, saw that Hubert wanted a full report on a female high school student, he nearly dropped his phone.
Is Mr. Lennar falling in love! For real?
He couldn’t help thinking about it–after all, he’d followed Hubert ever since college, and he had not seen him show interest in any woman in all those years.
Levi glanced at the girl’s age and muttered nervously, “She’s of age, right? This isn’t … illegal, right?”
Meanwhile, Hubert had no idea what wild guesses Levi was making.
Wylie glanced at Hubert’s back, feeling puzzled. “Could it be that he is going through early menopause?“
Back in the classroom, Wylie slumped into his seat without a care, ignoring the awkward atmosphere, dropped his bag, and dozed off like nothing had happened.
The moment he entered, Azalea noticed Sydney visibly tense up.
She didn’t get a good look at who it was, but it didn’t really matter.
Brushing past Sydney’s supporters, Azalea turned and walked out of the art class without looking back.
When she returned to Class 13, the teacher was already lecturing up front.
Thankfully, the homeroom teacher must’ve given a heads–up. The teacher didn’t react much and simply motioned for her to find a scal
After the period ended) instead of diving into practice questions like usual, the classroom Buzzed with hushed conversation.
Azalea could feel the glances being thrown her way. Her brows knit slightly. If attention in the art class could be blamed on Sydney, then what would have happened in Class 13?
She wasn’t stupid. Something was definitely up.
“You’re Azalea, right?” Her deskmate spoke up.
The girl had a short, shaggy wolf–cut and was eyeing her strangely.
“Yes, I am
Tm Irene Romanov. Just wondering–have you checked the school forum yet?”
With that prompt, Azalea suddenly realized something. She pulled out her phone, and sure enough, the school forum was blowing up. There were all kinds of posts accusing her, slandering her, and even saying she should die.
They called her twisted, saying someone her age shouldn’t be thinking about murder.
Pinned to the top was a post accusing her of being jealous and pushing someone–obviously Sydney–down the stairs during the inheritance banquet. It even claimed that the Larks had kicked her out because of it
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Azalea didn’t even have to guess–this had Sydney written all over it.
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Makes sense at least from Sydney’s perspective. Step one was a success: kicking her out of the Larks. Step two was ensuring she couldn’t even stay in school.
That was Sydney’s play.
But Azalea didn’t panic. Didn’t even frown.
“You’re not mad?” Irene asked, puzzled.
Azalea tapped her screen. “Why would I be? This is nothing. A few lies and twisted half–truths? Please. Sydney was being lazy with her tactics.
Azalea had suffered far worse in the Larks in her last life. Any one of those experiences could outmatch this online smear campaign ten times over.
Sydney’s tactics weren’t meant to bring her down for good; it was more about planting a first impression in everyone’s minds. That way, if anything else happened later, people would just think, “Azalea‘ Oh, that’s not surprising.”
That was exactly how the Larks had treated her–layer by layer, they molded her into someone unworthy.
Her lips curled into a cold smile. If she hadn’t learned anything after living a second life, then she might as well be dead again
Azalea pulled up a video from her phone’s album and posted it directly on the forum under her real name.
It was footage from the Larks‘ security cameras. She’d recorded it before she left their house, just in case Sydney tried to pull something like this.
Irene, watching beside her, saw everything in the video. It looked like she wanted to say something, but she held back.
Azalea acted like it was just a minor inconvenience. She didn’t even bother checking the comments after posting it.
Elsewhere in school, a group of school leaders trailed after Hubert, showering him with praise.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Lennox, for your generous investment. Thanks to you, our students now have such a fantastic learning environment,” the principal said, his last two hairs bouncing on his balding scalp.
“Yes, yes! Our students are the cream of the crop–future elites of society!” another chimed in.
“Future elites?” Hubert raised an eyebrow. His tone was unreadable:
He smirked and opened his phone–on screen was the full report Levi had sent him, including the forum scandal.
‘Is cyberbullying what your ‘elite‘ students do?” The principal’s two hairs wilted instantly.
It was still scorching in Draywick this September. His forehead was drenched with sweat.
“Mr. Lennox
“Maybe take a look at this first,” Levi offered helpfully. He’d flagged the worst offenders–those who’d led the bullying–with names and full profiles.
After reading through them, the principal looked like he might pass out. This was the investor’s first visit, and he’d done everything to keep things perfect–only to have this explode in his face. “I guarantee we’ll investigate this thoroughly and hand out disciplinary action!” he vowed.
Hubert finally put his phone away and said slowly, “Didn’t you say earlier that your school cultivates society’s elites? How could you allow rotten wood among them?”
Even though he sounded pleasant, no one dared to mistake that for goodwill.
The principal trembled. “So, should we expel them?”
“School matters are up to the principal, of course,” Hubert replied politely–but his eyes had gone icy.
How could they let her be bullied like this?
Chapter 6 The Art of Deception
He ground his teeth quietly, a dark storm gathering behind his calm gaze.
