Chapter 40
Everyone was speechless, thinking, Avery’s words are razor-sharp. They wanted to scold her, to defend poor Zoe, but they couldn’t say anything. Avery’s score was genuinely higher—something she could brag about for the rest of her life. There was nothing they could possibly criticize her for.
Andrew’s expression was as dark as Zoe’s, though fortunately for him, his face was hidden behind a mask.
"Avery, don’t get so arrogant!" he snapped angrily. "It’s just a 70-point difference. What’s so impressive about that? You probably cheated—"
"Can’t accept defeat, can you?" Avery cut him off with a smile. "When you lose, you resort to accusing others of cheating without a shred of evidence. That’s so typical of the Kennerly family."
"And honestly, I didn’t even think it was worth bragging about beating her by 70 points, yet Zoe went all out, throwing a grand graduation party just to flaunt her score, as if she was afraid people wouldn’t notice. It’s honestly laughable."
Slap! Zoe felt as if she could hear the sting of her own humiliation echoing in her ears. She wished the ground would swallow her whole. Zoe’s parents looked just as embarrassed. The pride and joy they had felt moments ago vanished the instant Avery’s score was revealed, leaving only shame, just like Zoe. If they had known it would end like this, they would never have hosted this party.
"Miss Carter," Jarred said, his face stiff with displeasure. "Even if you scored higher than Zoe, there’s no need to be so condescending..."
For the sake of Zoe’s dignity, he was ready to "politely" ask Avery and her family to leave. But before he could speak further, a sudden commotion erupted near the entrance.
Someone burst into the room, shouting excitedly, "Mr. Moran is here!"
The name rippled through the crowd like a stone dropped in a pond, causing waves of astonishment. In an instant, everyone’s attention shifted away from Avery and Zoe. Nearly everyone was asking:
"Which Mr. Moran? Could it really be that one?"