Chapter 33 Looks Like Tilda’s Doomed

The title of being the first person to ever beat Shaun’s program still stuck to Wade like a badge. He knew better than anyone how insanely complicated that program was. And every single year, Shaun updated it, making it different. So, trying to copy what worked before wouldn’t work. Back when Wade had passed, it was right at the one-hour deadline. And honestly, luck had helped him, too. That was why Wade knew this challenge was brutal. It was pretty much impossible. If it were anyone else, Wade wouldn’t even care.

But this time… it was Tilda. And suddenly, his feelings were all tangled. He didn’t even know if he wanted her to pass or fail.

Of course, Clive wasn’t going to let such a chance slip by. He nudged Wade with a grin. “So? Think your sister can actually do it?”

“How would I know?”

“Oh, come on. You would know. You’re the only one who’s ever passed. You know exactly how hard it is.”

Wade paused for a while before he finally said, his voice steady, “She’s not gonna make it.”

“Damn, Wade. That’s cold. It’s not like you. Even if you two aren’t close anymore, she’s still your blood.”

Wade shot him a sharp glare. “Don’t be stupid. If I went back to sophomore year and tried Professor Manning’s program again, I’d only give myself 60% odds. You need both skill and luck. And sure, Tilda’s attitude has changed a lot lately, but her actual IQ and coding skills couldn’t have magically leveled up overnight.”

Clive’s eyes lit up with mischief. His lips curled. “Then wanna bet? You’re convinced she can’t pass, so I’ll bet she can. The loser owes the other a month of lunches. Home-cooked. Deal?”

“Lame.”

“So, you in or not?”

“Fine.”

To Wade, this was basically free food. There’s no way Tilda is gonna make it.

Meanwhile, Kyla couldn’t resist sneaking near Tilda’s classroom. She tucked herself into a quiet corner in the hallway, staying out of sight.

11:19 AM

From there, she could see groups of students crowding outside the room. And of course, everyone was talking about whether Tilda would pass the ultimate test.

“Do you all think she’s actually gonna succeed?”

“Maybe. Back in freshman year, she was at the top of our class.”

“And now she’s with the Jensons. Maybe Wade even taught her a few tricks.”

“Yeah, Wade’s the only one who’s ever cleared it. And look at Tilda now—walking around like she’s confident. She must have something planned.”

“She’s wild. She was all quiet one minute, then suddenly—boom, turns out she’s the real Jenson daughter. Talk about rags to riches.”

“I saw Wade and Kyla riding to campus together this morning. I didn’t see Tilda, though. What do you think that means?”

“What else? The fake daughter was keeping the spot warm, but now the real one’s back. Guess who’s about to get replaced?”

Laughter broke out.

Hidden in her corner, Kyla’s face burned. Fake daughter? Replaced?

No. I AM the Jensons’ daughter. I’ve always been, and I always will be. Nobody can take that away. The one who will be pushed out isn’t me—it’s Tilda.

If this had been before, Kyla wouldn’t have been worried. She would’ve thought Tilda taking Shaun’s challenge was just her being cocky. Even Wade had barely passed, so what chance did Tilda have? But lately, Tilda’s whole vibe had shifted in ways Kyla couldn’t explain. So the second she heard the news, she found herself sneaking over, almost without thinking.

Please, please fail, Tilda. If she succeeded, people would compare them. And Kyla couldn’t stand the thought of that shame.

Just then, the classroom door opened. Una came out, head hanging low. Right away, classmates rushed up to ask.

“Nope,” Una sighed. “Professor Manning’s program is way too tough. I didn’t even know where to start.”

Everyone gasped. Una was always one of the best students. She was easily in the top three in the class. And if she couldn’t solve it and gave up that fast, that just showed how cruel the challenge really was.

Looks like Tilda’s doomed.

“Yeah, there’s only one hour. It’s already been 40 minutes.”

11:19 AM

“Exactly. If it were easy, Wade wouldn’t still be the only one who ever passed.”

Una’s temper snapped. “Hey! Don’t talk crap! Tilda can totally do it!”

Everyone knew how close Una and Tilda were. And seeing her this mad, they all shut up quick.

But Kyla saw everything.