Chapter 75

Darcey, the homeroom teacher, had a warm and gentle vibe. She didn’t treat Claire any differently, even though everyone knew about her situation.

She waved them over with a smile. “Did you need something p>

Sophia shot Claire a quick look, almost like she was worried they’d been caught sneaking around. But Claire was calm, handling it like it was no big deal.

“Darcey, I wanted to ask if you could help me apply for a dorm room,” Claire said. She didn’t actually want to move into the dorms, but she knew she had to at least try.

Darcey’s brow furrowed. “Claire, the semester’s almost over. Why are you applying for housing now p>

Sophia couldn’t help herself. “Claire got kicked out of the James family because she’s not their real daughter. She doesn’t have anywhere to stay, so she wanted to see if she could get a dorm p>

At Silverpeak, the dorms were free. Two people shared a room and four shared a suite, complete with a washer, fridge, and their own bathroom. The place was pretty nice.

Sophia’s words caught Darcey off guard. She suddenly remembered what the principal had told her. The James family had arranged for the real daughter, Cindy, to transfer in, which wasn’t unusual. Lots of parents did whatever it took to get their kids into Silverpeak. But the principal also mentioned that Cindy’s older brother wanted Claire, the so-called imposter, out of Silverpeak entirely. The school didn’t refund tuition, so there wasn’t any benefit for the James family if Claire left. The fact that they’d even think about it said a lot. It was unbelievably cold, especially after raising her for eighteen years.

Rumor had it Claire’s biological family lived out in the countryside, and the teachers in the office were saying the James family had sent her back the very night everything happened. They didn’t even try to save face.

Darcey looked at Claire with real sympathy. “I understand. I’ll try and help you with the application, but since the semester is almost over, it might not go through. We’ll have to wait and see about next term p>

“If you really have nowhere to stay, I have a teacher’s apartment the school assigned me. I’m not using it, so you can stay there for now if you need to p>

“Claire, if you’re struggling with anything, please talk to me. Don’t bottle things up. And don’t even think about dropping out to get a job. Finals are coming up, and as long as you do well, you still have a bright future ahead p>

“We can’t choose where we come from, but we can decide where we’re going. I hope you won’t give up on yourself, not because of this p>

Claire hadn’t expected her teacher to say something so heartfelt. Ever since people found out she wasn’t the real James family daughter, their attitudes had changed so fast it made her dizzy. Most people avoided her now, but Sophia and Darcey were different. They made her feel safe.

She gave her teacher a genuine smile. “I promise, I’m not going to give up. Honestly, these eighteen years of being someone else’s daughter taught me a lot. I have useful skills, and I’m not worried

about supporting myself. My grades won’t slip, either p>

“As for the apartment, thank you, but I don’t want to trouble you. I have somewhere to stay now. It’s just a bit far from campus. Later, I can try finding a place to rent across from the school p>

Sophia was so touched by the conversation her eyes turned red. The moment she heard Claire might have to rent a place off-campus, she jumped in to help. “Claire, do you have enough money? I still have my lucky money from last year. I can help with rent p>

Darcey smiled softly. “That’s sweet, Sophia, but it’s alright. I can help Claire find a place if she needs it.” She understood why Claire wouldn’t want to stay in a teacher’s

er

apartment. Living arouet

all the

faculty could feel awkward and no one wanted to feel like they were relying on someone else.