Chapter 154

There was no doubt about it—the girl they were talking about, the one who had supposedly upset Penelope and cost the Sterling Group’s sponsorship, was none other than Anastasia herself.
Anastasia nearly burst out laughing.
The Sterling Group, Penelope’s family’s company?
So, apparently, she had offended Penelope, and that’s why the sponsorship was gone?
Now they wanted her to bow her head and apologize to Penelope in front of the entire school?
It was so obvious these rumors were just Penelope’s not-so-subtle hints to everyone. Where did she even get the nerve?
But the sponsorship situation was different from her previous life.
Last time around, Anastasia had actually secured that sponsorship herself. She’d swallowed her pride and pleaded with Gabriel, all so she could bring the sponsorship in and maybe finally get along with her classmates. And in the end? Not a single person was grateful. Everyone believed Penelope had been the one to make it happen.
She’d tried to set the record straight, only to be mocked and accused of shamelessly trying to steal Penelope’s spotlight.
When she’d turned to Penelope for help, hoping she’d clear up the
misunderstanding, Penelope had just brushed her off with a few vague words and went right on taking credit for Anastasia’s hard work-without so much as a second thought.
This time around, Anastasia had been too preoccupied with Harrison to bother chasing down sponsorships. She certainly hadn’t expected Penelope to step up and do it.
Judging by how things turned out, though, Gabriel must have blamed her for Nora’s mess as well-otherwise, the sponsorship wouldn’t have disappeared. “Some people,” Sandra sneered, “are just distant relatives taken in by the Sterlings. And yet, they have the nerve to cross the Sterling family’s real heiress!”
Anastasia paused, then looked up coolly. “So I’m a distant relative, and
Penelope’s the Sterling family’s one and only heiress? Who told you that?”
Sandra scoffed. “Who doesn’t know? Or are you going to claim you’re actually the
Sterling heiress? Please, you’ll make us all die of laughter.”
Anastasia narrowed her eyes.
So this was what Penelope had been telling everyone?
No wonder she’d been so popular last time around. It all made sense now.
“Some people can’t even hold onto a hard-won sponsorship, and now they won’t admit it. As if we don’t know she upset Penelope, and Mr. Sterling, being the doting father, took it out on the rest of us!” someone else chimed in.
Anastasia raised her gaze, unhurried. “Are you finished?”
For a split second, her composure and confidence caught them all off guard. Sandra forced herself to sound tough. “What, are you saying we’re lying?”
Anastasia replied, “So you’re sure that’s the truth? Did you actually go to the Sterling family and ask? I can give you their address-why don’t you go and ask them in person? See if Penelope dares admit any of what you just said about being the real heiress, or about me ruining the sponsorship.”
The group fell silent.
Sure, none of them had ever gone to the Sterling estate, but everyone knew the story-how could it be wrong? Official source ıs.net
Anastasia was just being stubborn. That’s all.
Ignoring their reactions, Anastasia tossed the apology letter into Maggie’s hands and offered a sincere wish:
“It’d be nice if everyone had a working brain.”
With that, she turned and strolled calmly back into the dorm.
There was no point explaining herself to these people. Their prejudices ran too deep; they’d always believe Penelope. Anything she said would just be a waste of breath.
But exposing the truth-well, there were better ways than arguing.
Grabbing her clothes, Anastasia headed for the bathroom, a cold smile curling on her lips.