Chapter 45

Seeing Cordelia’s bewildered expression, Merry didn’t hesitate. She whipped out her smartphone, opened her browser, and scrolled through nphotos until she found one of her heartthrob on the cover of a famous men’s magazine.

There he was, draped casually in a white toga that looked ready to slip off his shoulders at any moment, a hint of mischief in his eye. A beauty spot shaped like a teardrop just below his eye added to his enigmatic allure. His gaze was intense, staring off into the distance, and his lips curved in a half–smile that seemed to reach through the screen and beckon the viewer closer.

“Hot, right? Tell me you wouldn’t want a piece of that!” Merry gushed, practically swooning over the image.

Cordelia just stared at it.

The man was undeniably handsome but in a completely different way from Everard, who had this dangerous, edgy vibe…Why was she even thinking about Everard?

Shaking her head to clear the thought, Cordelia was about to return to her studies when she overheard conversation nearby.

“Merry, I heard you moved out from your folks‘ place. You’re not staying on campus, so where are you crashing now?”

Merry rolled her eyes. “I got an apartment.”

“Wow, you got cash? Didn’t your family cut you off?” the person asked, surprised.

Merry snorted. “Do you think I lived for eighteen years without saving a dime?”

The other person just uttered an “Oh” and fell silent.

But Cordelia remembered Paulina had offered Merry a bank card after the incident with the stolen class funds, which Merry had declined. Not wanting to pry into her friend’s personal life, Cordelia hadn’t asked any further questions. But Merry might be having money troubles.

Casually, Cordelia tapped Merry on the shoulder. “You short on cash? I can lend you some.”

Merry glanced around and leaned closer, whispering, “Lia, I’m making my own money now. Don’t worry about it.” Did she say she was making money?

Cordelia blinked in confusion. “What?”

Lowering her voice, Merry confessed, “I’ve started streaming online for cash,”

After a pause, she added with anxiety, “Lia, you won’t think less of me, will you?”

Once the darling heiress of the Jordan family, she was a streamer then.

slowly. “Not at

a sigh of

end of the period rang, Cordelia, with Hanley and Juliana, stood up, grabbed their books, and walked out amid envious whispers from their

and the trio had stopped attending regular classes to focus

But today, driven by a need

a relieved sigh. “Is she going all–in on math now? Has she

hot on its heels. With such tight scheduling, most would choose to focus on

frowned at the thought. “Smart move on

Hanley’s pride, but he wasn’t one to hold grudges. He had grown to respect Cordelia’s prowess

and passed by Cordelia’s desk, he saw that it was devoid of any math problems. but a

confusion and sat behind her.

of the morning, he watched as Cordelia wrote and sketched, occasionally crumpling draft papers and tossing them aside, sometimes pausing

borrow a book titled Batra’s Life, which Hanley recognized as a famous mathematical challenge, but what did it have to do with her

Cordelia continued with her

and saw what she was up to, he was shocked.

She nodded.

you

for over a hundred years without success. Many have failed at the final hurdle. It’s not something you should be wasting your time on. If you’re interested, you should

Cordelia had self–studied the university

advice, Cordelia was determined to solve it. “Mr. Latham, I just want

to sway the prodigy. “Just make sure you get your

problem,” Cordelia assured

left, Hanley couldn’t hold back any

She didn’t respond.

make you dismiss the National Math League. Your attitude is coming off as flippant and careless! The Galaxy Math Whiz Competition was off–syllabus, and I know you studied beyond that, but that doesn’t make your win entirely legitimate. There are countless math prodigies out there. Take Jake from Greenmeadow High. Last year, he won first prize at the National

verge of a breakthrough, Cordelia

back, her misty, cold gaze sweeping across the

froze, his mouth clamping shut instinctively.

he came to his senses, his face flushed with irritation. He had offered a friendly warning, but she

the harsh reality teach her

same problem until six in the evening

be nearly complete if she could prove

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