Delh’s eyelids slightly at the mention of “little contest from her daughter’s mouth. It echoed in her mind, contrasting with the nonchnt way Mirabe had described the event just days before as “just some boring contest with no prize money,


    It was a contest that could secure a quaranteed spot at one of the nation’s most prestigious universities, and she called it little?!


    With aplex expression, Delh pondered over her daughter’s flippant attitude. What was she to do with such a cheeky girl?


    Soon enough, Shawn fired up his vintage Santana and took his wife and daughter toward the city’s Education Center.


    Upon arrival, they were greeted by a sea of parents milling around the entrance. To their surprise, there was even a TV crew filming on site.


    “Hey, is yourpetition going to be on TV?” Shawn asked, a mix of surprise and curiosity in


    his voice.


    Mirabe nced at the cameras by the door and frowned slightly. “I don’t know<i>.</i>”


    “Don’t stress about it. Just do your thing.” Delh chimed in reassuringly.


    “Sure,” Mirabe responded, her voice calm and her demeanor unruffled.


    At that moment, the Gilbert family’s chauffeur dropped off Summer. As soon as she stepped out, the cameraman, immediately swiveled his lens towards her, and a reporter hurried over for


    an interview.


    Shawn and Delh noticed Summer, too, but weren’t surprised. They knew she was also in thepetition. Seeing her surrounded by the TV crew, they refrained from approaching. especially with Mandy by her side. They harbored no fondness for anyone from the Gilbert n.


    Delh couldn’t help but bristle at the thought of Mandy’s past attitude and the fact that she’d abandoned Mirabe in a small town, a clear sign of her archaic preference for sons over daughters.


    With a dark look, Delh turned away, not wanting Mandy to catch a glimpse of Mirabe. She quickly shifted her attention to her daughter, “Honey, you should head inside and find your


    seat.”


    Mirabe could sense Delh’s mood but didn’t ask any questions. “I’m going in,” she said.


    “Go get ‘em, sweetie. We’ll be <b>right </b>here waiting for you,” Delh encouraged, patting her on the shoulder.


    With a soft acknowledgment, Mirabe hung her student ID around her neck, approached the entrance, and showed her ID to the staff for verification.


    After the TV crew finished their special segment on Summer, they moved on to film other students and parents.


    Still sporting a polite smile though the cameras had turned away, Mandy caught sight of Delh and Shawn. Her brow furrowed as she leaned in and asked in a low voice, “What are your former foster parents doing here?”


    Knowing Mandy’s disdain for the Davis family, Summer kept her gaze down and replied softly. “Mirabe is alsopeting.”


    Mandy snorted in disbelief. “Her grades are so mediocre, and she’s got the nerve to show up? Is this some kind of joke?”


    Reflecting on Mirabe’s preliminary scores, Summer looked ufortable but simply said, “Mom, maybe you haven’t really paid attention to Mirabe before, but she’s… pretty formidable now.”


    “Formidable? More so than my daughter?” Mandy dismissed Summer’s words outright, not bothering to inquire further about Mirabe. ncing at her watch impatiently, she said, “Enough of this. Go inside and make us proud. Don’t embarrass us.”


    With a forced smile, Summer responded half–heartedly and made her way to the entrance.