Chapter 35 The Breaking Point

With Eliza covering for her, Naomi had nothing to fear–and so her grades kept slipping further.

“L… I promise I’ll do better next time, but this time-

“This time, I really couldn’t help it. I had a fever of 102. I couldn’t even get out of bed.”

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Eliza gently took Naomi’s hand, voice full of apparent concern. “You’re my little sister. You wouldn’t me me… right?”

Naomi felt like she’d swallowed poison.

Not me her!

This exam hadnded her outside the top 100 for the entire grade.

How could she not me her?

Just before school ended. Evelyn arrived on campus

When she heard Naomi had ranked below the hundred mark, she panicked like a cat on a hot tin roof. “bNaomi’s /bbgrades /bhave always been excellent–how could she suddenly score so low?”

“We were surprised, too. Her performance dropped drastically. Eliza, on the other hand, did very well. Please don’t worry-”

“Eliza?”

Evelyn’s bbrows /bfurrowed bin /bdispleasure.

At bthat /bmoment. Naomi stepped into the office.

Seeing her daughter with her head hung low and looking so wrongedb, /bEvelyn immediately spoke up. “My daughter must’ve just had a bad day. I’m sure there’s a reason for this.”

Then, her eyes darted to Eliza, bwho /bwas handing in homework for her ss. Her tone sharpened.

“bThis /bis all your fault! What possessed you to transfer to ss Six and bring all their bad habits to your sister? Do you even understand what she’s facing? bShe’s /bpreparing to study abroad. And now she has a sister in bss /bSix–do you know how much pressure that puts on her? How could you not think about your sister?”

The homeroom teacher was momentarily stunned.

What did Eliza being in ss Six have to do with Naomi?

“I think you’re mistaken. bNaomi’s /bperformance this time doesn’t really have anything to do with Eliza—”

But before she could finish, Evelyn cut in sharply.

“You wouldn’t bunderstand/b, Teacher. bBirds /bof a feather flock together. Eliza’s always hanging around with thugs and delinquents. What good bcould /be of that?”

Outside the bssroom/b, several ss Six students overheard Evelyn’s words as they walked past the office.

Their expressions darkened.

bBut /bEvelyn kept going, unrelenting. “Thank goodness you live in the dorms. If you were home, who bknows /bwhat kind of bad influence you’d be on your sistert Eliza, do you bhave /bany idea bhow /bto be a decent older sister?”

“bMa’am/bb…./b”

The teacher tried to interject, but Evelyn shoved Eliza hard on the shoulder. “Your elder’s talking to you–why are you just standing there like a mute?”

The bshove /bsent Eliza toppling to the ground.

Chapter 35 The Breaking Point

The ss Six students who’d been watching couldn’t take it any longer and rushed into the office.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Henry hurried over to help Eliza up

Evelyn scoffed coldly. “This is a family matter. What does it have to do with you?”

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Then she swept her eyes over the ss Six students in the room. “Of course–it’s bss /bSix. No wonder you people have no

manners

Her words were dripping with contempt.

Everyone from ss Six looked deeply ufortable.

Colton and Lewis had just stepped inside when Evelyn continued disdainfully. “I’ve always said this bschool /bshould get rid of ss Six. You’re all just rejects–leeches on society. The only thing you do here is drag bdown /beveryone else’s grades. What else are you even good for?”

Silence fell over the office like a curtain of ice.

Everyone stared at Evelyn bwith /bcold, disgusted eyes.

This was the kind of adult they hated most–selfb–/brighteous and blind to their own arrogance.

Teacher. Evelyn said, her tone shifting slightly, “my daughter’s grades are slipping. I can’t sit back and do nothing. If Eliza continues associating with these ss Six students, she’ll only have a worse influence on her sister!”

“And because of that,” she pressed, “the school needs to give me a solutionb./b”

“Then let’s cut ties, Eliza bsaid /bsuddenly.

The room froze.

Evelyn stared at her in disbelief.

Everyone else did btoo/bb. /b

If Mother finds me bso /bintolerable,” Eliza said calmly, “then let’s cut ties. From now on, I, Eliza, have nothing to do with the Rivers family. As for the years you spent raising bme/b–name your price. I’ll pay you bback/b.”

Her voice was steady. Unshaken.

Evelyn looked at her like she was a stranger. “What did you just say?”

y you want bto /bc

bto /bcut ties with Mom! That’s so

“Eliza! bWhat /bnonsense are you bspouting/b? Even if you’re bmad/b, you can’t say you ungrateful! She’ll be heartbroken!”

Naomi instantly rushed to her mother’s side, fiercely scolding bEliza/b,

But Eliza stood her ground. “I bmean /bit. Since bMom /bbdoesn’t /blike me, it’s better if we go our separate ways.”

Evelyn bstared /bat Eliza’y confident face–then suddenlyughed.

“Fine. Let’s cut ties. The Rivers bfamily /bhas fed band /bbraised /byou for seventeen years. I won’t ask much–bjust /bone million. If you can pay bthat/b, we’ll consider it settled.”

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