Chapter 497:

Knowing the spotlight was on her, Zaylee spoke in a deliberately high voice.

“And what’s that worth?”

“Zaylee, everyone knows,” a student whispered, tugging at her sleeve.

“Why not ask? I’ve got tons of Brad’s signatures at home.” Zaylee blinked, pretending innocence. She meant to show off — hoping her connection with Brad would earn her some respect.

But instead of admiration, she was met with rolled eyes and quiet mockery. For a second, she was stunned. She only wanted a little attention. What was wrong with that?

Then, a student from the Advanced Honors Class stood up. He said sharply, “Let me answer that. Brightwood High’s winter camp isn’t just for fun. We may be top students, but good grades alone won’t get you into the best universities. Leadership, teamwork, and extracurriculars matter too. That’s where your comprehensive evaluation score comes in. Sports achievements or serious outdoor activities boost that score.”

He glanced at Zaylee, his voice cold. “With Admiral Morgan leading the camp this year, getting his commendation is a huge deal. If your grades are good, that signature could make your application stand out at any top university. They’ll prioritize your file.”

The student then sneered at Zaylee and added, “Strange, isn’t it? Weren’t you supposed to be one of the top students? How do you not know how elite university admissions work? Did you really think everyone was just here to have fun and waste time before the college entrance exams?”

“What an idiot — no wonder she had to cheat on the public exam.”

The students from the Advanced Honors Class didn’t hold back when it came to Zaylee. With a few blunt words, they stripped away her carefully crafted high-society act, reminding everyone that she was still just a showy country girl at heart.

Zaylee’s face darkened instantly. Her gaze snapped to Rylie, who was standing with the Honors Class students. And Rylie? She was looking right back at her.

Stay tuned for more gαlnσνℯℓs.c○m

Zaylee’s fists clenched. Of course. Now that Rylie was cozying up to the Honors Class, this woman must’ve been the one encouraging them to take shots at her.

“I see. Thanks for clarifying.” Forcing the bitterness down, Zaylee sat back down, her jaw tight.

Only then did Brad clap his hands once, giving a nod of approval to the Honors Class student who had spoken. “Every single point you made was spot-on. Well said. If you can’t find a tent tomorrow, I’ll get one for you.”

Everyone had assumed Brad would step in for Zaylee, so his unexpected support for the Honors Class earned him a flicker of goodwill from their side.

“That ‘every single point was spot-on’ line was perfect — sounds like he agreed with the part where they called Zaylee an idiot,” one student muttered just loud enough for Zaylee to hear. Her expression went from bad to worse.

Once all the instructions were given, the students were dismissed to the lodge’s dining hall for dinner. After that, they’d be setting up their tents for the night.

As one of the supervising teachers, Rylie sat with the other faculty members. The teachers and military staff had their own section, apart from the students. Dinner in the lodge was laid-back.

The teachers sat together, chatting about the winter camp arrangements and how the students were handling things. Eventually, the conversation shifted from work to personal matters.

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