Chapter 83

“She’s dead. No one can prove a thing,” Nancy shot back, but even she was caught off guard by the Main family’s old secrets. She gave a sharp laugh. “Seriously, who’s supposed to believe you?”
Charlotte’s eyes flickered with a cool, distant light. She barely glanced at Nancy, but her voice was as icy as her stare. “Have you settled that little incident at the mall? You know, where you ruined a designer dress, refused to pay for it, and got marched out by the police?”
Nancy’s whole body went rigid. She never expected Charlotte to remember. It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her.
Taken by the police? Gossip always spread fast among students, especially something this juicy. How had nobody at school heard about it?
“What’s this about Nancy getting arrested for wrecking a dress?” someone whispered nearby. “I thought her family was loaded. Can’t she afford a single dress?”
Nancy was always bragging at school, acting like her family owned half the world. She loved telling everyone how rich they were, but now Charlotte had just exposed her for the fraud she was. She couldn’t even pay for one dress.
“I used to think you were just vain, but you’re also annoyingly loud,” Charlotte said, stepping in close. She looked down at Nancy, her words cutting and measured. “If your mouth is so eager for attention, maybe you should put it to work in the public bathrooms. Go on, lick all the toilets clean. At least that would be useful.”
“Charlotte!” Nancy’s eyes filled with angry tears. Did she really just tell her to lick toilets?
Charlotte barely glanced at her, her lashes lowering as her patience ran out. “If you have so much time to meddle in other people’s business, maybe try reading a book. You clearly need to learn how to act like a decent person.”
“How dare you talk to me like that?” Nancy snapped, her voice breaking.
She only realized everyone was staring at her after she’d finished yelling. By then, Charlotte was already walking away, swinging her bag over her shoulder, not even looking back. She left behind only her cool, confident walk, the kind that made it clear she didn’t care what anyone thought.
“So what if she’s some rich heiress?” Nancy shouted after her, her eyes red. “Charlotte’s just a useless nobody! If she doesnt get at least second place in next week’s physics exam, she’s out of Vanguard High!”
She’d be watching. She wouldn’t let Charlotte off easy.
“Come on, let’s go!” Olivia hissed, grabbing Nancy’s arm and dragging her away from the crowd of gawking students.
As they walked, Olivia glanced over at Charlotte’s retreating form and lowered her voice. “Nancy, look at that jacket she’s carrying. Does it look familiar?”
Nancy finally calmed down enough to really look. Her eyes went wide. She recognized it instantly.
“That’s the newest release from that top luxury brand,” Nancy muttered,
turn confused. Didn’t
you say her dad kicked her out with nothing? How does she have that?”
The price of that coat could buy a small house.
A flash of jealousy crossed Olivia’s face. “He did. She just got back from the countryside, she shouldn’t have any money.”
Maybe it was a knockoff. But then again, if Charlotte could manage to get herself into Vanguard High, was there anything she couldn’t do?
Was it possible she’d already found a rich, powerful guy to back her in such a short time?
Thinking about the way she’d been humiliated today, Olivia curled her fingers tight, her heart twisting with jealousy and resentment. If people ever found out about Charlotte’s past, she was sure no man would
want her.