Chapter 45

A gentle smile tugged at Grace's lips. "You give me too much credit. Maybe luck was just on my side this time."

The comment made Gianna's fists clamp even tighter,her knuckles paling, veins standing out as if her anger might burst through her skin.

Excitement and gossip buzzed through the students around them.

"Who ever thought Grace would claim the top spot?Guess Gianna has to settle for silver from now on."

"Exactly! That's a massive difference. And listen to Grace-blaming luck. Nobody hits perfect scores just by being lucky."

"Gianna's days of being first are finished. Looks like it's Grace's turn in the spotlight."

"Summit University's professor is visiting soon, right?Let's see which of them catches his eye now."

Each word from the crowd felt like a fresh wound to Gianna, cutting deeper with every whisper. She pressed her nails deep into her palms, barely noticing the pain-every nerve was focused on the sting of their gossip.

Suddenly,Lizzie stormed forward, unable to stay silent.

"None of you know what you're talking about! Gianna's been number one for years! Anyone can have an off day."

No one missed the shift in the crowd, though.Admiration for Gianna had dimmed, replaced by genuine admiration for Grace.

Turning her back on the gossip, Grace strolled down the hallway, Adrianna falling into step beside her.

Back at their desks, Grace glanced over at Adrianna,taking in her cheek. It was clear the cream had worked wonders-that stubborn dark mark had faded even more. Soon, it would be gone for good.

Day by day, Adrianna watched her own skin improve and ached for the moment when her transformation would finally be complete.

Meanwhile, Johnny arrived at the bulletin board much later than everyone else. Helping Beatrice with her things had kept him busy.

When he finally made his way back, the crowd clustered around the scores was already thin.

Curiosity got the best of him, and he pushed forward,confident he'd find Grace's name at the very bottom.

His mind had already raced ahead-he'd report her failure straight to their mother, relishing the thought of seeing her disappointment.

Scanning the lowest scores, Johnny searched for her name. To his surprise, Grace was nowhere in sight.

Confusion crept across his face, and his brow furrowed as he scanned the list again.

Maybe she didn't even show up for the exams? Or could her scores have been so low that it wasn't worth putting on the list at all?

While he puzzled over the possibilities, a burst of excitement from the crowd snapped him back. "Wait-Grace Miller actually took first place?!"

There it was, plain as day-her name shining at the very top.

Shock hit Johnny hard, his hands clenching tight as he stared. "No way. This can't be real..." he muttered,disbelief thickening his voice.

Memories tumbled through his mind-Grace napping in class, scribbling nothing on her homework, finishing exams faster than anyone else. How could someone like that possibly score full marks?

Evening settled over the Holden home, golden light spilling through the windows.

Stepping inside, Johnny spotted Julia moving around

the dining table, arranging dishes with practiced care.

"You're back," she greeted him softly. "Go get cleaned up-dinner's about to start."

As they gathered around the table, Rodger placed his newspaper down and fixed Johnny with a steady look."How were your results this time?"

Johnny's fork hovered above his plate. He hesitated before mumbling, "It was fine. I made it to the top ten."

Rodger nodded once, his voice cool and firm. "Stay focused. I expect you to keep it up."

"Got it," Johnny replied flatly.

Julia's eyes drifted to Grace, who had put down her fork for a moment. Leaning close, she said softly,"Darling, don't let your grades weigh you down.However you did, you'll always be my sweet girl."

Worry lingered in her tone-Grace's brother always brought home strong results, and she didn't want her daughter to feel the weight of comparison.

But Grace only smiled, bright and easy. "No need to worry, Mom. I'm not upset. I actualy took first place.Full marks."

"You-first place?" Julia stared, stunned, as her fork slipped from her grasp and clattered against her plate.

Rodger's fork stopped halfway to his mouth,his hand trembling as he stared at Grace. "You're telling me you got full marks?"

Grace answered with a small nod, "That's right.Honestly, it wasn't that tough, so 1 wasn't all that surprised by the perfect score."

A silent look of disbelief passed between the couple.Could it be that their daughter was truly gifted? She breezed through exams that everyone else struggled with-almost without effort.

The idea seemed almost unreal.

Across the table, Johnny swallowed a surge of resentment. What was so special about this anyway?There had to be some kind of fluke behind her score.Maybe she puulled a fast one this time, but next exams she'd fall flat on her face.

Masking his irritation, Johnny shrugged, keeping his tone cool. "It's just one result. Don't set your expectations too high or you'll end up disappointed."

Julia's expression hardened as she shot him a warning look. "Mind your attitude. Your sister came out on top this time, and you didn't. Maybe it's your turn to take a few lessons from her."

The urge to argue flashed in Johnny's eyes, but with his father watching, he could only mutter through lenched teeth, "Yeah, I'll learn from her."

Brushing off his mood, Julia's joy bubbled over as she scooped more food onto Grace's plate. "Sweetie, you amaze me. Eat up, you need the energy."

"Thanks," Grace answered in her usual calm tone.

Joy colored Julia's words as she declared, "This is a reason to celebrate. We'll mark the occasion-tomorrow we're going shopping."

Rodger's quiet chuckle spoke volumes, though he said nothing.Everyone knew Julia never needed much of a reason to spend-and she always found the best deals.

Suddenly, her phone chimed. Julia's face lit up. "Look at this-Seraphic Jewelry's having their big members'sale this weekend. What luck! Now's the perfect chance to treat you to something shiny and new."