?Chapter 345:


    “When he shows up, you’d better bow your head, confess your fault, and kneel if you must. Perhaps then Mr. Cooper might toss you a lifeline.”


    “My advice? Spare yourself the embarrassment — pull your brother out of ss One before things get ugly!”


    “Exactly! People like you, born without a silver spoon, trying to crash through the gates of high society — you’re just setting yourself up for a fall!”


    “Do you actually believe enrolling your brother in ss One puts him on par with our children? As if rubbing shoulders with the elite will magically make you one of them? Such pipe dreams — time to snap out of it!”


    Maia’s thoughts simmered beneath the surface. Arrogant to the core, she mused. Most of these parents were merely coasting on ancestral wealth, their elegance as superficial as paint on rotting wood. Behind their luxurious and expensive clothing, there was an unbearably dirty soul.


    She saw no point in trading words with peacocks so proud of their borrowed feathers. With quiet resolve, she swept her bangs aside, reclined in her chair, and closed her eyes slightly — her posture calm, almost regal. To her, this gathering of overzealous parents resembled nothing more than a circus of squawking jesters. Herposed detachment only poured oil on the fire.


    “She’s quite the actress, isn’t she?”


    “Let her keep pretending. I’m curious to see how long she can hold that mask.”


    “She’s probably paralyzed with fear, just faking calm!”


    Meanwhile, outside the school gates, a stir swept through the crowd like a gust of wind before a storm. A procession of sleek, jet-ck Maybachs glided to a halt, their polished surfaces shing in the sunlight like drawn swords. Every eye turned as if maized.


    No sooner had the cars stopped than bodyguards sprang into motion, swinging open doors with precision and urgency. Murmurs spread among the students like wildfire.


    “Wow! Who’s that? So impressive!”


    ???????????????????? ?????????????????? ???? g??????ν?????????????


    “How many bodyguards does one person need?”


    “Wait, isn’t that Mnie’s dad?”


    “Seriously? What’s going on? What’s so serious that Mr. Cooper himself came down to the school?”


    Inside the ssroom of ss One, Mnie was nestledfortably among her clique, chatting idly. Suddenly, the door burst open with urgency.


    “Mnie! Mnie! Your dad’s here!”


    She froze. What? Wasn’t he supposed to bending just now? Her heart skipped a beat. Why would he be here?


    “Really?” she asked, hesitant. “How do you know?”


    Several students stood straight, confirming in excited whispers. “It’s true! He just arrived — rolled up in luxury cars with a full security team!”


    “I heard it’s because the sister of the new guy, Ethan, stirred up trouble and called in the parents!”


    “Your dad must be here to protect you! Who does that woman think she is, challenging the Cooper family? That’s just wishful thinking!”


    Mnie’s face drained of color. This was bad. She had just fed Hurst a lie — that all was calm and she had kept her nose clean. And now he was here? If he discovered that she had been the instigator, she’d be in for more than a stern word. She had to get ahead of this mess — fast.


    In the schoolyard, Hurst was just preparing to head upstairs when Mnie dashed toward him like a leaf caught in a gale.


    “Dad!” she called sweetly, her voice trembling with well-rehearsed sorrow. “I didn’t want to trouble you, but I didn’t expect the teacher to involve you.”


    Hurst’s brow furrowed immediately. “What happened?”


    .


    .


    .