bChapter /bb47 /b

Wendelyn had been to Joshua’s house with Shermaine before. When she came back, Ruth had asked her how it went and if she’d managed to bimpress /b

Owen.

But someone as proud as Wendelyn would never admit that not only did she fail to earn Owen’s favor, but that Shermaine had subtly humiliated her as well. So, she didn’t go into detail about what happened that day, instead brushing it off with a

gue answer.

At that moment, Wendelyn thought, ‘Shermaine’s trying to humiliate me by suggesting a game of chess. She’s so confident that she can bbeat /bme? bBut /bshe held her own in a fierce match against Mr. Owen York. Can I even stand a chance against her?‘

As she hesitated in silence, Ruth responded for her, “Alright, your sister’s been awarded in chess before. It’s not a bad idea for you two to have a match

after dinner.

“Girls shouldn’t just bury their heads in books all the time. It’s good to expose yourself more to refined, literary things–it cultivates your taste, elevates your character, and helps you enrich your inner self.”

Shermaine’s smile grew even brighter. “Then it’s settled.” Seeing Wendelyn frozen in ce, she teased, “What’s the matter, Wendy? You don’t bwant /bbto /by?”

Wendelyn replied through clenched teeth, “Of course not. Let’s do it.” She didn’t believe Shermaine was really that good and could actually win.

Janice watched the scene unfold with a smile, thinking, ‘Ruth’s getting too full of herself. She didn’t even realize that Sheary wasying a trap for Wendelyn. Well, good. Let her see how her supposedly outstanding daughter would be outmatched by Shermaine.

The night deepened, and the autumn wind blew gently.

Dinner was over, and Ruth went upstairs herself to bring down the chess set and get things ready.

But Wendelyn’s expression grew darker with anxiety.

Meanwhile, Shermaine went out for a walk with Janice. Not long after they leftb, /bClyde showed up.

He looked around and asked, “Aunt Ruth, didn’t you say Shermaine would be back today? Where is she?”

“She went out for a walk,” Ruth replied.

‘She’s in the mood to go for a walk at a time like this?‘ thought Clyde.

Ruth gave him a look. “What do you want with her?”

‘Tough at her, of course,‘ Clyde thought. ‘She cheated on the midtermsb–/bwhat a disgrace to our family.

Then he said, “Aunt Ruth, Shermaine had her midterms this weekb, /band the results came out today. Word is, she got straight A’s by cheating. I thought I’de over and ask if it’s true.”

Ruth’s eyes lit up. “She cheated on the midtermsb?/bb” /b

Clyde sneered, “Yeah, that’s what I heard from people at her school. I meanb, /be on, how could she possibly beat Leslie? I basked /bLeslie about bit/b, bbut /bbhe /bwouldn’t tell me anything. Luckily, I got the scoop from some other students.

“What’s wrong with that school? How could they just let her keep the grades without taking any action? But I guess it’s tricky for them to act. Firstb, /bbthey /bdon’t have any evidence. Plus, it’s the top school in bthe /bcity–if word bgets /bbout/b, the school’s reputation will be tarnished.”

Shermaine, how dare you show off at dinner? You bgot /bstraight A’s by cheating!‘ Ruth thoughtb, /bstill fuming bfrom /bbbeing /bscolded bby /bbJanice /bbduring /bbdinner/b, ‘b1 /bknew it! There’s no way she can get such good grades or be better than Wendy.‘

Clyde couldn’t help but gloat. “But I heard that someone bat /bbthe /bschool had already reported her to the school district boffice/b. bThey’ll /bbprobably /bbsend /b

bChapter /bb47 /b

someone over btomorrow /bbto /bbhandle /bbit/b.”

Ruth smirked. “Even if she’s my daughter, cheating like that can’t be tolerated. Since the dared to do it, she’d better be ready us got arrayed

bShe /bthought for a moment and then told Clyde, “When shees back, don’t tell her you already

“Why not?” asked Clyde.

“Your grandmother dotes on Shermaine and might scold you for speaking ill of her.”

“Grandma’s totally biased,” Clyde pouted.

He thought, ‘Once the person from the school district office verifies the truth tomorrow, Shermaine will likely be expelled. Butt hus finds out, het probably send someone to handle it. So what? The stain will stick with her for life–it can’t just be wiped away!

Clyde saw the chessboard on the table. “Is Wendy going to y against someone?”

“Yeah. Against Shermaine,” replied Ruth.

“What?” Clyde scoffed,ughing mockingly as he thought, ‘Sure enough, Shermaine doesn’t know her limits.

He was about to say more when Shermaine and Janice walked in. The moment he saw Shermaine, he remembered the bet they’d made. He’d eaten so much leftover food that night, and when he got home, his stomach had been in knots.

He hadn’t slept a wink and had even ended up in the hospital for an IV drip in the middle of the night. Now, just seeing her made his blood boil, and he wasn’t about to y nice.

Shermainepletely ignored him. She helped Janice to the couch and handed her some water.

“Shermaine, chess isn’t as easy as ying video games. Wendy is really good at it. Are you sure you can handle it?” Clyde just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

Shermaine replied casually, “Whether I can handle it or not is none of your business.”

“You…” Clyde stopped abruptly. He turned to Janice andined, “Grandma, did you hear how she just spoke to me?”

Janice, who knew Clyde didn’t like Shermaine and was on Wendelyn’s side, said, “That’s just how she is. If you can’t stand it, don’t talk to her.”

Clyde was fuming.

Janice, being older and still recovering from an illness, wasn’t in the best health. Shermaine made ba /bmental note to give bher /ba check–upter and write ba /bprescription to help her recover.

Then her mind wandered to Owen, who’d been on his medicine for a week now. She wondered how bhe /bwas doing.

As Janice and Shermaine were back, Ruth said eagerly, “I’ll go upstairs and call Wendy down.”

At that moment, Wendelyn was wiping her ck–framed sses. After putting them bon/bb, /bshe sat in front bof /bbthe /bvanity and looked bat /bherself in the mirror.

“Wendy, make sure you give it your allter. Show that old woman what you’re made of and help me regain some dignityb,/b” bRuth /bsaid.

She thought to herself, ‘I know Janice doesn’t think much of Wendelyn, always considering her just average. Now’s my chance to prove her bwrong/bb–/bto show that the daughter I’ve raised is the most talented and refined youngdy in Basterel.‘

Wendelyn’s eyes flickered before she nodded with a determined expression. “Got bit/bb, /bMom. bDon’t /bworry.”

“Oh, and one imore /ithing–just now, Clyde told me downstairs bthat /bShermaine got straight A’s bby /bcheating. It bhas /bbspread /bbthroughout /bbthe /bbschool/b. bHonestly/b, that girl will stop at nothing just to show boff /band change her reputation,” Ruth added. She was bsure /bbthat /bbShermaine /bbhad /bba /bhidden bagenda /bbby /bbdoing /bball /bbthis /b

b2/3 /b

b12:46 /bMonb, /bb2 /bbJun /bG

b“/bIs that true?”

“ording to Clyde, some students have reported her to the school district office.”

Wendelyn’s gaze darkened, her thoughts unreadable.

74%

16

A few minutester, Wendelyn came downstairs. She had changed into casual clothes and was now wearing the ck–framed sses, which gave her a refined, schrly look–almost convincing enough to pass as a true intellectual.

Earlier, she looked hesitant about the chess match, but now she seems much more confident.

Noticing that, Shermaine couldn’t help but think, ‘Her demeanor has shifted since she went upstairs. What has she done? Oh, right. Those sses. She’s wearing a cheating device. No wonder she looks so confident. Fine by me. With her skills? She’s not even worth my time.

Wendelyn sat down across from Shermaine. “Shermaine, let’s start.”

Shermaine propped her chin in her hand, giving Wendelyn a sideways nce before smiling slightly. “Alright.”

Wendelyn started fiddling with her phone. “Mind if I stream this? I’ve been streaming on YouTubetely and ididn’t /ihave anything nned for today. This chess game is perfect.”

“Go ahead,” Shermaine replied, thinking, ‘Anyway, it’s not me who’ll end up embarrassed.‘

Wendelyn had a decent following on YouTube. Although she’d only recently started streaming, with her reputation as ba /btalented woman and her already considerable poprity, she has managed to umte three million followers in a short time.

As soon as the live stream began, fans flooded into the chat. The screen was filled withments praising her.

Wendelyn greeted them with a smile. After adjusting the camera, she turned to Shermaine and said in a soft, polite tone, “Let’s begini, /iShermaine. You go first.”