Chapter 751
Chapter 750:
Rather than shrinking from the attention, Elliana embraced it with a steady, easygoing smile. “My family does alright. We’re comfortable, but it’s not like we’re rolling in billionaire money. And the mask? That’s just something I like to wear—please don’t overthink it p>
Politeness guided her as she turned to a nearby girl, speaking gently, “Is this seat taken? Mind if I join you p>
Without hesitation, the girl responded, “Go ahead! I’d love the company.” She pulled out the adjacent chair for Elliana.
Settling into her seat, Elliana offered a quick word of thanks.
She noticed that there was nothing flashy about the girl. She carried herself with quiet ease and a kindhearted air, a stark contrast to the group of flatterers always surrounding Trinity.
Just minutes before, everyone had been clamoring for attention, caught up in the drama. But this girl had simply kept to herself, nose buried in a book, completely untouched by the theatrics. No trace of envy or desperation for attention was evident in her manner. She seemed perfectly content in her own quiet world.
Elliana found herself unexpectedly drawn to this girl. A wave of nostalgia washed over her—she reminded Elliana so much of Hailee, with that calm sense of self.
“Lilah Briggs,” Elliana said, extending her hand. “And you p>
The girl’s response came with an easy grin. “Frieda Debenham. I’m from Bafvale. This is my first time in Ublento p>
The name sparked a flash of recognition. Elliana remembered hearing about Frieda: the girl who had aced her SATs back in Bafvale, earning a flawless score—a true standout with a humble background.
Unlike social rank, that title came down to pure appearance. Trinity hadn’t even enjoyed her reign for a full hour before Lilah stole the spotlight. It stung. Most had assumed Lilah would lean on her family name, especially with Trinity in the room, eager to soak up all the attention. But Lilah didn’t. She let the topic slide without a fuss and began chatting with Frieda, as though the rest of the room had faded away.
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Though it was only the first day, word of Frieda’s perfect SAT score had already spread. A few curious students had done some digging and uncovered plenty. It was no secret now that she came from a very humble family. Her family had been farmers for three generations, and she was the first from her town to make it to college.
It was exactly because of this modest background that no one had bothered to speak to Frieda. Since walking into the classroom, she had sat alone. So, when Elliana not only sat beside her but also took the initiative to greet her, Frieda was visibly flattered.
Watching them interact, whispers started to ripple through the room once more.
“I had figured Lilah was just downplaying her background when she called her family ‘comfortably well-off,’ but it seems she was telling the truth all along p>
“Exactly. Rich people might not show off, but there’s a big difference between being low-key and slumming it. There she is, talking to that pauper Frieda like it’s nothing. What does that say p>
“All it means is she’s not the daughter of some tycoon. That so-called ‘comfortably well-off’ label probably just means she’s middle-class—a notch above someone like Frieda, and that’s all p>
Every word of their gossip reached Elliana’s ears, but she didn’t react. Instead, she leaned closer and continued talking with Frieda. The two quickly discovered they had plenty in common, and an easy friendship formed.