Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 8: Chapter 8
You are reading Their Mistake, Her Rise, Chapter 8: Chapter 8. Read more chapters of Their Mistake, Her Rise.
The most influential figures in the world knew that the rose on the wrist was the symbol of the mercenary queen, Firefox. Seeing that rose was equivalent to seeing the Ruler of Eminence Nexus.
At the sight before them, everyone gasped. No one had expected the scars on Zoe's wrist to be knife and bullet wounds rather than the kiss marks they had imagined.
Everyone was stunned. They couldn't understand how a country girl who had never been on a battlefield could have such injuries. They all wondered what Zoe had been through.
"H-How could this be?" Cheryl's face turned ashen immediately.
Eunice was also deeply shaken by the scene before her. Even Herbert and Jacob held their breath.
They had always seen Zoe as arrogant and conceited, but after all, they were siblings.
Now, seeing so many scars of varying size on Zoe's body, Herbert and Jacob felt, for the first time, a hint of remorse for how they had treated her, and a desire to understand her past.
Especially Herbert. He was proficient in firearms and instantly recognized that most of the scars on Zoe's arm were caused by bullets and blades.
Which raised a troubling question — Zoe had grown up in a small village. Knife wounds might be explainable, but bullet wounds had no place in her life. It seemed that Zoe was hiding something.
Herbert and Jacob fell silent.
Just then, Zoe walked briskly toward Cheryl.
Cheryl had already been terrified by the rose-shaped scar on Zoe's wrist, her legs almost giving out.
Seeing Zoe approaching, she gulped nervously and stretched her neck. "W-What do you want? Don't think those scars prove anything. For all we know, you might've been trafficked to some war-torn country!
"Those places are worse than small villages. Maybe you weren't just a prostitute, maybe you were a drug addict too..."
Suddenly, Zoe slapped Cheryl hard across the face — so hard her cheek was visibly distorted. The loud sound echoed through the room.
Cheryl was knocked to the floor, stunning everyone. "Zoe, how dare you?" She raised her head in pain and humiliation, glaring at Zoe.
But what she saw was Zoe's bloodshot, murderous eyes.
Zoe's voice followed, sharp as a blade through Cheryl's chest. "That's right. I've not only been to war-torn countries — I've killed people. Wanna try your luck?"
For a moment, Zoe's words silenced the entire room. Everyone was frightened by the strange gleam in her eyes.
Zoe sneered, then kicked Cheryl aside and walked straight to an empty seat in the classroom without looking back.
A while later, she heard the students' panicked chatter.
"Oh my god, she said she's killed people? That's way too much to joke about."
"No one's seriously buying Zoe's crap, right?"
"What's that smell?"
"Ew, Cheryl wet herself. She actually peed her pants from Zoe's bluff!" One student burst out laughing.
Highcrest University was the gathering place for the most outstanding youths of Clusia, and also a bridge for channeling talent into Eminence Nexus.
Especially in the honors class—every student had to study business, combat, medicine, racing, programming, fine arts, firearms, chemistry, social etiquette, and every other skill imaginable.
To have talent in even one of these areas was already impressive. Geniuses like Eunice, who were well-rounded in every field, were rare even at Highcrest University.
As for Zoe, she had just returned from a small village. The school believed her goal of joining Eminence Nexus was pure fantasy, so they didn't even bother to develop a training plan for her.
Zoe herself didn't care in the slightest. During class, she lay on her desk with her eyes closed, napping leisurely.
Suddenly, the students around her began whispering gleefully.
"Oh my god, Philip came to school today."
"Well, this is gonna be good. That idiot Zoe just happened to choose the seat next to Philip. Everyone at Highcrest University knows he has a bad temper."
"Even Eunice isn't allowed to sit next to him."
Amidst the murmurs, a boy with messy short hair and a jacket casually slung over his shoulders walked into the classroom. He was handsome, but he carried an unmistakable aura of "don't mess with me."
Everyone at Highcrest University knew who Philip Chapman was. He was the school's treasure, a super genius who had even been publicly praised by a big figure from Eminence Nexus.
Some had predicted that he'd be joining Eminence Nexus in less than a year.
When Philip entered the classroom, Eunice's cheeks flushed with shyness. At the same time, a hidden anticipation stirred in her heart—she hoped Zoe would get what she deserved.
Everyone at Highcrest knew Philip didn't like anyone sitting next to him. Once, a girl had accidentally sat in that seat and was mysteriously expelled the very next day.
If Zoe provoked Philip, she wouldn't last a day at Highcrest University.
Just as Eunice expected Philip to lose his temper and throw Zoe out, the entire class witnessed something strange.
The ill-tempered Philip walked to the back of the classroom, scratched his messy hair, and glanced briefly at Zoe sitting beside his seat. Without any reaction, he simply returned to his seat, lay down, and fell asleep—just like Zoe.
The whole class was stunned.
Seeing this, Eunice clenched her fists in anger. She couldn't understand why Philip hadn't gotten mad at that country girl, Zoe.
Her face turned pale as she thought, 'I knew it—Zoe came back just to take everything that belongs to me.'
'She wants to steal the identity of Ms. Evans, the love of my parents and brothers, and even Philip, whom I like the most,' she cursed inwardly, 'I want Zoe dead.'
During the afternoon combat class, Zack appeared at the classroom door with a serious expression, his right wrist wrapped in bandages.
The moment he entered, he shot Zoe a fierce glare.
"It's Mr. Shelton." Eunice's heart leapt with joy when she saw Zack.
She remembered Zack once saying he would never tolerate shameless people like Zoe being admitted to Highcrest University. So she assumed he had come to kick Zoe out.
Just as she was thinking that, she heard Zack speak in a thunderous tone. "Class, I'm here to tell you two things.
"The first thing is: in ten days, every student in the honors class will take my combat skills test. Anyone who doesn't meet the passing standard will be kicked out of Highcrest University."
This announcement was aimed squarely at Zoe.
Not only did all honors class students come from wealthy families, but they were also children of the elite. To ensure their personal safety, their parents had them learn self-defense from a young age.
Meeting the standard for combat training was a piece of cake for all the honors students. Zoe was the only one who might fail.
The students chuckled quietly among themselves, certain that Zack's goal was to force Zoe out of Highcrest University.
Before they could dwell on it further, Zack went on to deliver the second piece of news.
"Also, after the school's efforts, Mr. Shawn Ludwig, who recently returned to the country, has agreed to come to Highcrest University to teach you marksmanship," he said. "So you all better take this seriously and study hard."
At the sight before them, everyone gasped. No one had expected the scars on Zoe's wrist to be knife and bullet wounds rather than the kiss marks they had imagined.
Everyone was stunned. They couldn't understand how a country girl who had never been on a battlefield could have such injuries. They all wondered what Zoe had been through.
"H-How could this be?" Cheryl's face turned ashen immediately.
Eunice was also deeply shaken by the scene before her. Even Herbert and Jacob held their breath.
They had always seen Zoe as arrogant and conceited, but after all, they were siblings.
Now, seeing so many scars of varying size on Zoe's body, Herbert and Jacob felt, for the first time, a hint of remorse for how they had treated her, and a desire to understand her past.
Especially Herbert. He was proficient in firearms and instantly recognized that most of the scars on Zoe's arm were caused by bullets and blades.
Which raised a troubling question — Zoe had grown up in a small village. Knife wounds might be explainable, but bullet wounds had no place in her life. It seemed that Zoe was hiding something.
Herbert and Jacob fell silent.
Just then, Zoe walked briskly toward Cheryl.
Cheryl had already been terrified by the rose-shaped scar on Zoe's wrist, her legs almost giving out.
Seeing Zoe approaching, she gulped nervously and stretched her neck. "W-What do you want? Don't think those scars prove anything. For all we know, you might've been trafficked to some war-torn country!
"Those places are worse than small villages. Maybe you weren't just a prostitute, maybe you were a drug addict too..."
Suddenly, Zoe slapped Cheryl hard across the face — so hard her cheek was visibly distorted. The loud sound echoed through the room.
Cheryl was knocked to the floor, stunning everyone. "Zoe, how dare you?" She raised her head in pain and humiliation, glaring at Zoe.
But what she saw was Zoe's bloodshot, murderous eyes.
Zoe's voice followed, sharp as a blade through Cheryl's chest. "That's right. I've not only been to war-torn countries — I've killed people. Wanna try your luck?"
For a moment, Zoe's words silenced the entire room. Everyone was frightened by the strange gleam in her eyes.
Zoe sneered, then kicked Cheryl aside and walked straight to an empty seat in the classroom without looking back.
A while later, she heard the students' panicked chatter.
"Oh my god, she said she's killed people? That's way too much to joke about."
"No one's seriously buying Zoe's crap, right?"
"What's that smell?"
"Ew, Cheryl wet herself. She actually peed her pants from Zoe's bluff!" One student burst out laughing.
Highcrest University was the gathering place for the most outstanding youths of Clusia, and also a bridge for channeling talent into Eminence Nexus.
Especially in the honors class—every student had to study business, combat, medicine, racing, programming, fine arts, firearms, chemistry, social etiquette, and every other skill imaginable.
To have talent in even one of these areas was already impressive. Geniuses like Eunice, who were well-rounded in every field, were rare even at Highcrest University.
As for Zoe, she had just returned from a small village. The school believed her goal of joining Eminence Nexus was pure fantasy, so they didn't even bother to develop a training plan for her.
Zoe herself didn't care in the slightest. During class, she lay on her desk with her eyes closed, napping leisurely.
Suddenly, the students around her began whispering gleefully.
"Oh my god, Philip came to school today."
"Well, this is gonna be good. That idiot Zoe just happened to choose the seat next to Philip. Everyone at Highcrest University knows he has a bad temper."
"Even Eunice isn't allowed to sit next to him."
Amidst the murmurs, a boy with messy short hair and a jacket casually slung over his shoulders walked into the classroom. He was handsome, but he carried an unmistakable aura of "don't mess with me."
Everyone at Highcrest University knew who Philip Chapman was. He was the school's treasure, a super genius who had even been publicly praised by a big figure from Eminence Nexus.
Some had predicted that he'd be joining Eminence Nexus in less than a year.
When Philip entered the classroom, Eunice's cheeks flushed with shyness. At the same time, a hidden anticipation stirred in her heart—she hoped Zoe would get what she deserved.
Everyone at Highcrest knew Philip didn't like anyone sitting next to him. Once, a girl had accidentally sat in that seat and was mysteriously expelled the very next day.
If Zoe provoked Philip, she wouldn't last a day at Highcrest University.
Just as Eunice expected Philip to lose his temper and throw Zoe out, the entire class witnessed something strange.
The ill-tempered Philip walked to the back of the classroom, scratched his messy hair, and glanced briefly at Zoe sitting beside his seat. Without any reaction, he simply returned to his seat, lay down, and fell asleep—just like Zoe.
The whole class was stunned.
Seeing this, Eunice clenched her fists in anger. She couldn't understand why Philip hadn't gotten mad at that country girl, Zoe.
Her face turned pale as she thought, 'I knew it—Zoe came back just to take everything that belongs to me.'
'She wants to steal the identity of Ms. Evans, the love of my parents and brothers, and even Philip, whom I like the most,' she cursed inwardly, 'I want Zoe dead.'
During the afternoon combat class, Zack appeared at the classroom door with a serious expression, his right wrist wrapped in bandages.
The moment he entered, he shot Zoe a fierce glare.
"It's Mr. Shelton." Eunice's heart leapt with joy when she saw Zack.
She remembered Zack once saying he would never tolerate shameless people like Zoe being admitted to Highcrest University. So she assumed he had come to kick Zoe out.
Just as she was thinking that, she heard Zack speak in a thunderous tone. "Class, I'm here to tell you two things.
"The first thing is: in ten days, every student in the honors class will take my combat skills test. Anyone who doesn't meet the passing standard will be kicked out of Highcrest University."
This announcement was aimed squarely at Zoe.
Not only did all honors class students come from wealthy families, but they were also children of the elite. To ensure their personal safety, their parents had them learn self-defense from a young age.
Meeting the standard for combat training was a piece of cake for all the honors students. Zoe was the only one who might fail.
The students chuckled quietly among themselves, certain that Zack's goal was to force Zoe out of Highcrest University.
Before they could dwell on it further, Zack went on to deliver the second piece of news.
"Also, after the school's efforts, Mr. Shawn Ludwig, who recently returned to the country, has agreed to come to Highcrest University to teach you marksmanship," he said. "So you all better take this seriously and study hard."
End of Their Mistake, Her Rise Chapter 8. Continue reading Chapter 9 or return to Their Mistake, Her Rise book page.