Chapter 149

Lance’s face tightened with frustration. “The James family’s got money, right?

Haven’t we spent enough of it on you? The amount we invested in your education could have paid for ten tutors for Cindy. What’s so wrong about asking you to help her out p>

Sophia, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. “Lance, are you seriously bothered just because Claire’s grades are better than Cindy’s? Is this your sneaky way of dragging her down? We’re in our last year. School is brutal right now. Instead of hiring a real tutor for Cindy, you want Claire to do the job for free. Did you ever think Claire could fall behind… or that Cindy might not actually benefit at all p>

Sophia’s words hit Cindy hard. She’d actually been hoping Claire would tutor her. But now, she started to worry. What if Claire didn’t really care and just went through the motions? What if her grades dropped even more? Her parents had made it clear —they didn’t expect her to outshine Claire, but she couldn’t be at the bottom either. She had to get into a good university or else her parents would lose face, and she’d become the family joke for not measuring up.

“It’s just tutoring. Why make such a big deal out of it?” Lance grumbled, but then he switched tactics. “Fine. I’ll get Cindy a tutor, but Claire, you can study with her, too. If they learn together, Cindy will probably get better results p>

Claire let out a sharp laugh. “So you want me to be her study buddy now? Since Cindy and I were switched at birth, why don’t you just add up everything you’ve spent on me over the years and I’ll pay the James family back? Would that buy me my freedom? Or do I still have to be Cindy’s maid p>

Only Lance could come up with something so ridiculous. Did he really expect her to play sidekick to the James family’s little princess?

“Cindy’s the one struggling, not me. My grades are fine. If you make me her study buddy, aren’t you worried she’ll just look even worse next to me?” Claire didn’t sugarcoat it at all.

Lance and Cindy both went pale.

Lance was furious, thinking Claire was twisting everything. Cindy just looked devastated, especially after hearing Claire say she’d only make her look dumber. So that’s how Claire saw her? Just some idiot?

“Lance, there’s no need to make Claire study with me. I’m too durab anyway, I’d just drag her down,” Cindy whispered, her eyes shimmering with tears. “figure out on my own p>

It took a moment for Lance to

realize how much Claire’s words had hurt Cindy Suddenly, he turned on Claire. “Is this how you talk to Cindy? You think she’s stupid? You think

everyone else is dumb and you’re

the only genius? Sure, you have good grades, but don’t forget how you got them. Without the James family, you’d be nothing p>

His voice grew louder, drawing a crowd at the school gate. People turned to watch, hungry for gossip.

“Is Claire bullying Cindy? Cindy looks like she’s about to cry,” someone whispered nearby.

“I heard Cindy can’t keep up in class, so Lance wanted Claire to tutor her. Claire called Cindy stupid,” another student added, a little too loudly.

“That’s harsh. Even if someone’s slow, you don’t just say it to their face p>

“Didn’t the cops come looking for Claire today, too? She’s always acted better than everyone else. Now that she’s fallen from grace, she still doesn’t know how to behave p>

The chatter buzzed around her, but Claire acted like she didn’t care at all.

“I got my grades by working hard. Sure, the James family gave me great resources, and I’m grateful. Why don’t you go talk to your

parents and figure out exac ne

much I owe the family? I’ll pay it aff back. Is that good enough for you p>

Honestly, Claire was done arguing at the school gate with Lance. She wasn’t about

to let herself become the latest joke for everyone passing by.