Carmen’s face burned deathly pale “The chief judge found out I took someone else’s
else’s spot
spot in the finals, and my eligibility has been re cheating gets out, it’ll be announced to the whole school. How can’t ever stay at this school again?”
She thought, With this stain on my record, Rithol Art would never ept me Alvin is definitely going the Tever be with him now?
“How could this happen.” Daston was utterly stunned. He thought, ‘Only Alec and I knew about this something?
Before he could finish speaking, the loudspeaker crackled to life, cutting through the air, and it was Competition results.
The
?Tedoting further away from him. How can
A person said, “First, we would like to thank all participants for their hard work. Now, we announce the top three winners. The Gold Medal goes to the Department of Mathematics at Rithal University. The Silver Medal goes to an international contestant. The Bronze Medal goes to Aubree Miller
“Remaining participants may check their rankings on the scrolling disy. Top three medalists, please proceed to the award podium to im your prizes<b>. </b>
The announcement was broadcast three times in session, sending waves of astonished murmurs through the square.
It wasn’t the gold medalist who stole the spotlight at thispetition, but the bronze. The single name announced meant this contestant had fought their way up from the open qualifiers.
et never<b>, </b>regardless of the host country, had an open qualifier be a
The International Mathematics Competition had been held for several editions, yet n
medalist.
A person asked, “Who the hell is Aubree? She’s
Another said, “Wow, what a legend I gotta head to the award ceremony to catch the interview, I’ve never even heard of this prodigy
A third said, “<b>Wait</b>, I just remembered There was this young girl in my exam room, she looked like a high schooler. Could that be her!”
Someone eximed.”<ol><li>ed. “A high schooler With skills like that, shouldn’t she have been fast tracked to coge already?”</li></ol>
The Wilson family were equally dumbfounded when they heard the announcement
Alice was so shocked she forgot tofort Carmen. Grabbing Daxton’s arm, she gasped, “Daxton, did I hear that right? Did they just say Aubree?”
Daxton’s face darkened, furious at Aubree’s tant grandstanding.
Through gritted teeth, Daxton muttered, “Unless there’s someone else with the same name, it has to be her”
Daxton’s thoughts were already churning with <b>a </b>thousand tangled ideas.
<b>Daxton </b>couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Aubree clearly knows she has what it takes to win. Did she deliberately enter the mathpetition after finding out Carmen was participating in the painting contest?”
As he pieced it together, Daxton’s expression grew even darker. He thought bitterly<b>, </b>‘There’s no way this is just a coincidencall times, Aubree had to enter thepetition exactly when Carmen was in the painting contest?
“How could she be so <b>calcting</b>? Does she reary think that by outshining Carmen, we’ll regigt–ever being good to her?”
Alice’s jaw dropped. She thought, Wasn’t Aubree always at the bottom of the <b>ss</b>? When did her grades improve so much?”
Carmen clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood, though she barely noticed, lost in a storm of humiliation and rage
<b>1/3 </b>
07-15 MUN,
“Aubree again” Carmen seethed
The surrounding whispers about her became the final straw. Carmen shoved Daiton violently and shouted, “This is all your fauft if it weren’t for you, i wouldn’t be humiliated like thi
Carmen was having aplete emotional breakdown, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed quietly, when suddenly, the loudspeaker cracked to life again
The results of the paintingpetition were announced, not only were the top three winners revealed, but
itional statement win alin included
A person said, “An investigation has revealed that a contestant in this paintingpetition used unfair means to enter the finals. The judgingmittee has decided to revoke this contestant’s qualification, and investigations into those involved are still ongoing”
The announcement didn’t specify names, but anyone who cared to check the contestant list would know exactly who it was
Carmen waspletely shattered, wiping away her tears as she stumbled out.
She couldn’t stand being branded a cheater while Aubree got to bask in <b>all </b>that glory.
Carmen’s resentment made Daxton’s heart ache for her. He longed tofort her, but reason dictated that he stay behind to investigate who had leaked the information. “Mom, gofort Carme now!”
Daxton thought anxiously, I have to <b>find </b>out who leaked this!
Avenomous glint shed in Daxton’s eyes.
Alice finally snapped out of her due and hurried after Carmen. Meanwhile, Daxton went to review the surveince footage from that day.
Hearing the broadcast announcement, <b>a </b>satisfied smile yed at theers of Aubree’s lips. She thought, “Did Carmen really think she could have all the good things to herself? Not <b>a </b>chance.
“If you dare to y dirty, you’d better be ready to face the consequences.
As the judges prepared to present the awards, Aubree finally made her graceful entrance onto the podium. The crowd watching the ceremony was unusuallyrge this time, all drawn here by her presence.
Everyone was dying to see who fought her way up from the open qualifiers to im bronze at this internationalpetition.
A person said, “Oh my God! She’s so young! She’s only in high school, right?”
Another <b>said</b>, “if she’s in high school, why didn’t her school nominate her? What kind of idiotic school wouldn’t nurture a prodigy like that?”
Even the judges presenting Aubree with her medal were stunned, how <b>could </b>someone so young win at such a prestigious international mathpetition?
Some teachers were already schemingways to poach Aubree
Aubree found <b>all </b>the attention both amusing and <b>a </b>bit overwhelming. “I never thought I’d actually win bronce, she mused, “Honestly, I would have been content with just a constion prize, anything to get noticed. What an unexpected windfall.
The moment the awards ended, reporters
s swarmed the three medalists, but nearly all the questions were fired at Aubree
A person asked, “Miss, how old are you? Still in school? With skils like yours, how did you end uppeting through the open qualifiers instead of being school–nominated?
Let alone winning the bronze, even just <b>picking </b>up <b>any </b>award would make her prized asset, and every high school would treat her like gold.
Not only were the reporters baffled, but the surrounding crowd held their breath, waiting for Aubree’s answer.
Taking the microphone, Aubree replied withposure, “I’m a senior at Rithol High School. There are two reasons entered i the open qualifiers. First, my school didn’t nominate me. Second, I’m currently suspended”
thepetition through
The reporters immediately fired off questions. “Being suspended? What exactly was the offense?”
Aubree shed a faint smile. “Anyone here is on Twitter? Do you follow that League of Legends match fixing scandal a while back? wah, that was me principal of my school said it was a negative influence and suspended me for a while, so I’ve been staying home. Honestly, I still haven’t heard when I can go back to school.”
The reporters exchanged nces in confusion. “Wasn’t that match fixing scandal settled ages ago? Why aren’t they letting her go back to school? it’s such a crucial time for seniors,” one of them whispered.
The educators frowned, sensing that something was amiss.
Sensing a potential headline, the reporters pressed on, and Aubree was ready for their questions. “Before high school, lived in an orphanage I went through some things, and yes, I’m still an orphan. After transferring to Rithol High School, if you ask about my experience. well, to be honest, if hen’t been great. Right after Terrolled, I witnessed a female student being bullied into jumping off a building. The teachers barely did anything, <b>and </b>the principal even held a meeting ordering us not to talk about it.
“And after that? Well… I ended up bing a bullying victim myself.
“My thoughts on the principal? <b>Well</b>, I suppose he has his own… unique perspective. Like not telling me when I could return to school, maybe he thought I looked exhausted and wanted me to “rest a little longer.”
Aubree’s explosive interview went viral across major news sites. Meanwhile, Will, blissfully unaware in his office<b>, </b>received a phone call.
When the call ended, his face went ashen. He had been suspended pending investigation.
With trembling hands, Will recalled the warning from the call and unlocked his phone. The moment he saw Aubree’s interview, his vision darkened in waves. Clutching his chest, his eyes rolled back as he copsed. He knew his career was over,
C