Chapter 57

The stunned silence didn't last long. Within seconds, the room burst into loud protests.

"He's completely lost it!"

"Liam Whitmore, did all that studying melt your brain? What happened to basic decency?"

"What good is science if it doesn't serve everyone? Is it just some toy for the elite?"

The uproar swelled until Alexia tapped the lectern. Her voice didn't rise; it was calm and firm. "That's enough."

She'd met people like Liam before-brilliant minds, always two steps ahead in thought, yet blind to the emotions and realities of others. Cold brilliance, she called it. Dangerous when left unchecked.

Still, she didn't see him as a lost cause. He was gifted, no doubt about that. But talent without empathy?That kind of brilliance burned itself out, fast and ugly.

She looked at him and said calmly,"Liam,tell me something-how do you define the weak?"

"Poverty. Ignorance. Arrogance," he said flatly.

Alexia nodded. "Fair enough. But what makes you so sure you're not one of them?"

His jaw tightened, but the words didn't come right away."1"mnot," he said after a pause. "Not compared to them."

"Maybe not," Alexia said, her voice even. "Getting into Afoross University means you've already outpaced most people. But there's always someone smarter, better. Let's say we put you in a room full of the smartest people alive. Where do you think you'd rank then?"

Liam's confidence flickered. He didn't answer. Alexia leaned on the lectern, eyes sweeping across the classroom."Everything's relative-wealth, power, status, even intelligence. Your position can change the moment your surroundings change. One day you're at the top, the next you're not even on the map."

Then her voice deepened, each word landing with clarity. "Ethics aren't a roadblock to progress. They're what keep progress from becoming destruction. Without boundaries, science can strip away dignity,ruin the environment, and tear apart society. Innovation without understanding leads nowhere. We don't just push science forward. We have to think about what it leaves behind."

Silence returned, but this time, it held weight.

Nolan was the first to applaud. A second later, the other students snapped out of their daze as a wave of thunderous clapping followed.

By the end of class, Alexia had completely won them over.

Students swarmed her, eager to talk, ask questions, and simply be near someone who made science feel like more than facts and formulas.

"Ms. Jenkins is the full package-smart, stunning, and real."

"Best class I've taken. She actually mnakes science make sense. Finally! God, we've had our fill of those dull,lifeless lectures. She's the best thing to happen to this department."

"Those trolls are clueless. 'Fake daughter'? Please. She's thoughtful, sharp, and kind. Unlike Marilee,who just rides her fame and manipulates the narrative whenever it suits her."

"Come on, Marilee is basically a walking PR campaign. With all that money backing her, she sells the 'perfect girl next door' image like she's clocking in for work. I can't stand the fake act."

Nolan listened as the praise flew around him, eyes resting on Alexia still surrounded by students. Only then did he let out a quiet breath.

Around lunch, he approached and invited her to join him and Damon. She smiled, but gently turned him down.

He tilted his.head as she gathered her things. "Got plans?" he asked.

She gave a small nod while closing her notebook. "Yeah. My lunches are booked all week."

"Busy social life," he said, narrowing his eyes playfully."Friend?"

"Not quite." She hesitated, trying to explain the strange mess her connection with Waylon had become."More like a headache."

He blinked, then laughed."A headache?"

Alexia gave a small shrug. "Yeah. He's arrogant. One minute he keeps his distance; the next he's suddenly there, dragging you into something. He's exhausting."

"Do you hate him?" Nolan asked, like it was a casual thought.

Her hand froze halfway through zipping her bag.

He caught her pause and smiled knowingly. "Didn't think so. Doesn't sound like hate."

She raised an eyebrow. "You think you know me that well?"

"Educated guess. And since you're all booked up this week, I'm claiming your time for Prof. Ellis next week."Nolan gave her a playful wave and wandered off, content with her nod.

After leaving campus, Alexia pulled out her phone and scrolled through the flood of online chatter. Her name was everywhere.

She smiled, just a little. And she wasn't about to let free publicity go to waste.

In a few minutes, she had official, verified accounts across all major platforms. Her first post went up without hesitation.

"Two-faced? Gold digger? Scheming bitch? I've heard worse. Twenty years playing the perfect understudy -no one does 'fake daughter' better than me. Curious about my side? Catch my live stream tonight at 8.Don't miss it."