Chapter 72: So Much At Stake!
"What is it?" The man leaned on his seat and looked at her with narrowed eyes. Normally a principal would throw a student out for challenging his authority but he was looking at her, hardly suppressing his interest. How long had it been since he had met a bold child with nothing to back up that confidence.
Recently more and more rich families are joining the school. Their pampered kids might get good marks in subjects. But they were not prepared for the tough business world. So more and more students were only joining their family business and were not thinking of start ups. Even the one joining the family business had not achieved any exceptional growth. They have either maintained the current status or slightly expanded the businesses.
"You have to convince the board that I am the only one who can win the international knowledge competition." she paused, as if waiting for her words to sink in his mind. And when they did, he laughed.
"And you think they would believe it and support it? And here I thought you were bold. But there is a fine line between boldness and madness." he shook his head, his eyes had a trace of disappointment and frustration as he pressed the bell.
"They will not believe it. And then you can place a bet. You will stake your position as principal claiming that you would leave it if I failed. But they will offer you a position on the board if I pass the exam." There was no hint of panic or worry in her eyes when the peon opened the door despite knowing that he was there to drag her out of the office.
"You are babbling nonsense now. No one had ever cleared that exam from our estate. Forget about our school. Even the other top schools had failed it because of the pattern of the exam." he sighed, " I know that you are struggling hard to stay in school. And your results have improved recently. But that is far from enough for winning the exam." Perhaps, he was right. They have made the pattern like that so nobody could easily crack it.
But it was different for her. She had already completed her graduation and secretly studied a lot about different topics to distract herself from the troubles of her life. Clearing the exam would be a piece of cake for her.
"It will be better that you leave now. And I will not hold you liable for the nonsense you have spouted here." he warned her, reminding her of her dire position. It would only be a matter of time that her uncle would come for her and the board would not support her at all.
He was going to keep a neutral stand if she left now.
"Do you have the examination paper of last year? Or the sample papers designed for this year’s practice by our teachers? You can test me right now." there was a hint of confidence in her eyes. As if the exam was nothing for her. She could only be a fool to believe it.
Even so, his pupils trembled when he saw the confidence in her and his eyes involuntarily looked at the third drawer of his desk. But then he shook his head.
"Leave! That is the last chance." he waved his hands and the peon came forward. Nora sighed but she did not look much disappointed as if she had expected this result.