Chapter 36

The sound of the bell filled the halls, marking the beginning of a test.

Students darted to their desks, eager to settle before the proctor arrived.

Grace found herself seated at the very front, directly beneath the sharp gaze of the proctor.

No one could say for certain if this arrangement was deliberate or just a coincidence.

Moments later, Ellie swept into the classroom, a stack of test papers pressed against her chest. Her eyes landed on Grace with a fleeting spark of contempt. She silently vowed to monitor Grace closely today,convinced she would catch her at something.

The math exam came first. As soon as the proctors handed out the tests, a chorus of shocked whispers rippled through the students.

The questions proved far more daunting than anyone had imagined.

Just scraping a passing score would feel like finding aThe List treasure chest.

Panic turned to resolve as pens hit the paper, every student racing against the clock.

In that same room, Gianna kept an eye on Grace, who sat a few seats away, perfectly in her line of sight.What struck Gianna was that Grace hadn't even picked up her pen.

A sly grin crept across Gianna's face. Just as she suspected, Grace had no clue how to begin, not even bothering to fake confidence.

Ellie and another proctor stood watch, but Ellie's focus rarely drifted from Grace.

She fully expected to catch Grace trying to pull off another unbelievable result.

Yet, not even half an hour had passed before Grace surprised everyone by setting down her pen and lifting her hand, signaling she was finished.

"What is it? You realize it's far too early to turn in your test," the proctor said, disapproving. Poor marks were one thing, but such a lackadaisical attitude was something else entirely.

Grace looked up with wide, innocent eyes. "I'm done."

"Take another look at your answers,"the proctor advised, still frowning. The room erupted with barely stifled laughter.

From her desk, Gianna almost let out a dramatic sigh.Who did Grace think she was fooling?

"No need for that," said Grace, swinging her backpack onto her shoulder and walking out without a second glance.

To the other students, she seemed like a lost cause.Watching her hand in her paper so early brought everyone a strange sense of comfort; surely she'd rank lowest in the class.

Ellie retrieved Grace's exam, scanning the pages in disbelief. Every answer box had something filled in, but she doubted any were right. Clearly, this was nothing more than an act.

For the following two days, Grace was always the first to turn in her exams, never once hesitating.

Once the last test ended, students let out a collective breath, though a current of anxiety lingered about the results.

To keep things above board, teachers gathered to grade the tests together, shuffing the papers so names remained hidden.

Sipping from her cup, Ellie tried to sound humble. "I'm curious how our students did this time. I've heard some weren't too sure about their performance."

A teacher from Class B chimed in, "Ellie, let's be honest, your students always come out on top. I'm willing to bet the highest score this round is from your class again."

With a practiced modesty, Ellie replied, "You're too kind."

Another teacher joined in, teasing, "The rest of us can only watch as you collect another bonus,Ellie."

Fred, seated nearby, received a consoling pat on the back from the neighboring teacher. "Don't feel too down, Fred. People understand your class has its challenges. It can't turn out too badly."

Pushing his glasses higher, Fred replied, "Thanks,but trust my students will surprise us."

A silent scoff rose in Ellie's thoughts. Soon enough,she believed, Fred's faith would be dashed. With Grace pulling the scores down, she expected her own class to widen the lead.

Eventually, the teachers finished grading and gathered in the office for a bit of banter.

"You wouldn't believe what I found-a paper with every answer correct, even the open-ended ones matched perfectly. It honestly gave me chills!" one teacher exclaimed.

Another chimed in, "I saw an essay so good I had to give full marks. That's a first for me. There was nothing I could deduct-just flawless writing!"

"I graded a math exam with a perfect score.Considering how tough those questions were, it felt unreal-whoever did that is a genius!"

Another teacher spoke up next. "Same story here-a perfect score across the board."

"Are you guys serious?" Ellie's curiosity piqued.

"Absolutely, Ellie. It must be Gianna White in your class,right? She's gifted in every subject, especially when it comes to essays. No one else could pull this off,"suggested a teacher.

Ellie tried to keep her expectations in check. "Who knows? Maybe there's a dark horse," she said, not realizing her words would soon ring true.

A small, secret smile flickered on her lips. Deep down,she felt certain Gianna had done it again, though she tried not to gloat.

Suddenly, the dean strode in, clapping for attention. everyone here? Good! The exam results are ready. You can check your class's scores now."

Optimism shone in the dean's smile, hinting at strong List results.

"One more thing. Prof. Terry Warren from Summit University will be coming to teach a special course.The student who impresses the most will get a shot at the coveted recommendation," the dean announced.

A confident smile spread across Ellie's face the moment she heard the news. In her mind, Gianna had all but claimed the top honors already. Gianna's track record spoke for itself-her foundation was rock-solid,and it seemed impossible for anyone to outperform her. Meanwhile, Grace was another story. If she landed at the bottom, Ellie doubted she would have the nerve to stay.

As soon as the dean exited, teachers hurried to their computers, nerves buzzing.

With hearts racing, everyone dove into the results,eager to discover how their students had performed,and most of all, which name would top the list.