"Little rascal! Terrible at foreign languages but frighteningly sharp-tongued," another girl hissed through her teeth. "So what if you have a fiancé? Do you even know who's backing Judy? If I said it out loud, you'd probably pee yourself. It's none other than the CEO of Lancaster Corporation, Alain Lancaster, one of the Four Great Tycoons! Judy gets five million USD in allowance every month. Can your so-called fiancé compare to that?"
"They're dead."Elaine froze completely, genuinely surprised.
Claire quickly bent down to whisper:"Elaine, what's wrong? Isn't your fiancé really the Lancaster CEO? And that one-hundred-thousand-USD debt… wasn't that real?"
Elaine scanned the circle once, then pointed a finger straight at Judy:"You're lying. If you really know Alain, then describe what he looks like."
Judy let out a mocking laugh."Ridiculous. Why would I lie? What does Alain look like? Wherever he stands, he's as handsome as the living embodiment of a wolf emperor, his aura so overwhelming women scream when they see him!"
Elaine frowned and snorted:"Emperors and monarchs, just empty flash. A man whose presence could even make Helen of Troy come back to life out of jealousy probably isn't any better in substance."
Truthfully, she was just venting. She had never seen Alain's real face. As for Judy? Elaine assumed she was about 50% lying, minimum.
Claire rubbed her forehead."Oh Lord… you heard the name Helen five minutes ago and you're already using it like a lifelong companion."
Judy's face darkened, but she was used to Elaine's hurricane-grade insults, which only made her angrier."Hmph! Talking like someone who's never even seen a pig run but wants to lecture on pig farming. You don't even know the Four Great Tycoons? Laughable."
Elaine took it literally and replied with complete sincerity:"Oh, so the Four Great Tycoons are the pigs running around. I thought it would be worse."
Judy almost fainted from rage.
Elaine added lazily:"Papaya girl, you scream like you're being slaughtered the moment someone insults you. I'm embarrassed on your behalf. I won't argue with you anymore, it lowers my level."
"YOU...!!" Judy trembled with fury.
"Hmph! Your so-called fiancé is nothing. Even with money, he can't compare to a Tycoon. Anyway, I'm in a good mood today, so I won't waste breath. You can argue with yourself. Let's go."
Judy and her group stormed off.
Claire sighed."Honestly… women like that are beyond reasoning."
Then she turned and saw Elaine's wolf-glint eyes practically sparking with murderous intent."Little rascal, what now?"
"Hmph. They're dead."Elaine's violet eyes glittered mischievously.
"They? You mean Judy?" Claire squeaked.
Elaine clenched her fist and smiled wickedly."No. Papaya girl… and that pig-headed Alain."
…
The auditorium wasn't far from the library. After causing chaos for half an hour, Elaine finally strolled over still holding something that looked like a bamboo tube.
"Oh my god, ancestor of mine, where were you!? We're almost late!" Claire grabbed her, then noticed the leaves stuck in Elaine's hair and shrieked,"What happened to you?!"
"Hmph, keep your voice down. I just climbed out from the forest behind the mountain."Elaine rubbed her nose proudly.
"WHAT?! Why were you there?" Claire choked.
Elaine shook the bamboo tube; a sly, wicked glow lit up her eyes."To get a little treasure."
"What is that?"
"Just wait and you'll see."
Claire's face drained of color.Oh no. Elaine was absolutely planning to sabotage someone. This child had a death wish.
…
They turned into the VIP parking area. A sleek black business car gleamed like a mirror.
Elaine let out a dramatic "Ah!" and rushed toward it.
"What are you doing?! We're late!" Claire almost fainted.
"Wait! I look like a ghost right now. If the professor sees me, he'll kill me. I need to fix my hair before I torment that papaya girl."
Elaine didn't hesitate to use the luxury car's tinted window as a mirror.
Claire nearly popped a vein."Elaine!!! That's a rich person's car! What if someone is inside..."
But Elaine didn't care at all.
The windows were one-way tinted, perfect for her. She smiled smugly at her reflection, fixed her hair, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Done. Let's go, Claire!"
The two walked away.
A few seconds later, the window slowly slid down.
A cold, devastatingly handsome face appeared deep, abyss-black Alpha eyes, lips curved in amused interest.
The driver whispered,"Mr. Lancaster… that girl just now…"
Alain Lancaster watched Elaine's retreating figure. Then, unexpectedly, he let out a soft laugh."That little girl… has quite the nerve."
…
The auditorium was packed. Westbridge Haven was full of leading scholars, but this was the first time the headmaster personally welcomed a guest.
He spoke at the podium, though with the crowded hall, his voice sounded like background rustling.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the mysterious guest except Elaine's.
She was glaring at Judy and the papaya squad with the expression of a wolf pup about to pounce on prey.
Claire swallowed hard."Little rascal, the headmaster is here today. If you cause trouble, we all die."
Elaine wrinkled her nose."What's with all the fuss? And who's even coming anyway?"
No one knew.
Until the headmaster's voice boomed through the mic:"Today, we are honored to welcome the representative from Lancaster Corporation, sponsor of our scholarship fund. Please give a warm applause!"
Thunderous applause exploded.
A tall figure stepped onto the stage.Screams, shrieks, and chaotic cheering erupted instantly.
Alain Lancaster.
He took his seat, bodyguards standing at either side. The headmaster even had to raise the microphone height to match him.
The man didn't want anyone besides the headmaster to know his true reason for coming. He was here on private matters not for publicity.
The auditorium erupted even more especially from the female students. They looked half-possessed as they stared: even with sunglasses on, every movement each lift of his hand, each deliberate step radiated elegance and dominance. His sharply tailored dark suit and white shirt only emphasized the lethal allure of his face and physique. The entire hall of women was losing their minds.
Claire nearly drooled."Oh my god!! He's so handsome… I'm stupid…"
"What's stupid?" Elaine looked up, eyes bright though her attention was still fixed on the papaya squad. She'd noticed their exaggerated, saccharine excitement and sneered. "Still want to mess with them?"
At that exact moment, Alain's gaze swept downward.
A sharp, primal Alpha glint flashed through his eyes.
Across the hall, Elaine looked up. Their eyes met for just a heartbeat but it was enough for a scorching sensation to shoot down both their spines.
Mate.
The instinctive word roared through their minds like a low growl vibrating in their bones.
Elaine jerked, heart pounding so hard she thought her chest might burst. She immediately looked away, overwhelmed, convinced she was imagining it. She leaned to the side to hide herself.
But the instant she moved, the one standing exactly where she had been was Judy.
From the stage, Alain saw Elaine vanish from his sight, leaving only Judy standing under his direct line of vision. Judy, still dazed from the earlier chaos, unintentionally received the remnants of that Alpha instinct, an eye contact meant for someone else.
A catastrophic misunderstanding.
Alain's brow tightened. Confusion flickered in his eyes:The scent was wrong.The heartbeat was wrong.His mate had just slipped away.
Judy, meanwhile, completely misread everything, her whole body trembled, certain that the Alpha Tycoon of the Western Continent had just looked at her.
And Elaine…?