Chapter 60

Joshua was undeniably an exceptional man. The way he spoke made it clear he had a soft spot for his fiancée. Sheldon couldn’t help but regard Shermaine in a whole new light.

Though Sheldon didn’t interact much with wealthy businessmen—being an academic and all—living in Bastere meant he’d heard plenty about Joshua. A man in his thirties, disciplined and scandal-free, Joshua embodied self-control and dedication as a workaholic. His contributions to the nation’s technological progress were unmatched by most of his peers.

‘Shermaine must be one remarkable young woman,’ Sheldon thought. He cleared his throat and said, “She’s a bit young, isn’t she?”

Joshua didn’t deny it. Shermaine’s age didn’t matter to him; he would take good care of her. “Next month, we’re having an engagement party. I’ll have Bradley send you an invitation,” he said.

“I’ll try to make it.”

“Great.”

However, once Shermaine arrived at Basterel University, Sheldon’s view changed entirely. He started to think that Joshua was the lucky one to be engaged to Shermaine.

Just when everyone thought the broadcast was over, something unexpected happened. A young woman suddenly said, “It wasn’t Wendelyn. It was me, Yvonne Allen.”

Inside the broadcasting studio, Erin froze. But as a student of Basterel University, a very prestigious institution, she was smart enough to quickly piece the situation together—Yvonne was stepping up as a scapegoat to clear Wendelyn’s name.

She couldn’t accept the possibility that Wendelyn, the real mastermind, might walk away scot-free. Biting her lip, she asked, “How much did Wendelyn pay you to take the fall for her at your own expense?”

Yvonne mocked, “I’m not like you. I wouldn’t do whatever I’m told just for the money. I’m doing this because I genuinely care about Wendy. She’s too soft-hearted to go up against Shermaine, so I’m doing it for her. I’ll do anything to make sure she’s happy.”

With that, she took full responsibility for the accusations Erin had made against Wendelyn.

In the classroom, Wendelyn covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with tears. But as she lowered her head, she secretly gave a sinister smile.

The students realized they had misunderstood Wendelyn, thinking she had stopped at nothing to take down Shermaine. They even started to believe that Shermaine must have been bullying Wendelyn at home, and that Wendelyn, ever kind-hearted, had endured it all. To them, Shermaine was the real villain.

As Joshua heard this, his eyes darkened. He seemed displeased.

Sheldon noticed the subtle change in his expression.

A few seconds later, Joshua pulled out his phone and made a call.

At Brightwater Academy, the parent-teacher meeting had just ended.

Suddenly, someone rushed up to Shermaine and said, “I’m sorry, Shermaine, I shouldn’t have said those things about you.”

Soon, more and more students came up to her, offering their apologies. The crowd around her grew so large that she couldn’t leave immediately.

Meanwhile, the parents of Shermaine’s classmates surrounded Janice and Ruth, constantly praising Shermaine.

Their kids had always been average students, but now that one of the top students was in their class, they believed their children would be intensely motivated. On top of that, they’d heard that Shermaine had been tutoring their children, and they were deeply grateful.

“Mrs. Jean, your granddaughter is incredible. Not only is she a top student, but she’s also so kind and helpful,” a parent said.

“We’re so thankful for her,” someone else chimed in.

At first, they complimented Shermaine in front of Ruth, but the more they praised Shermaine, the more sour Ruth’s expression became. In contrast, Janice was all smiles, her face glowing with pride.

Is this woman really Shermaine’s mom? Why would she look so indifferent when people praise her daughter? someone thought.

Janice smiled cheerfully. “I’m glad Sheary could help. She loves to help others. I hope all the kids can excel on next year’s SAT with her support.”

“Of course they will. My daughter’s been studying very hard lately,” one parent said eagerly.

“Same here! My son stopped playing games and spends all his time studying,” another parent chimed in.

Alice was still in shock, unable to process the fact that she had been expelled from Brightwater Academy. Her mother, Vanessa Joy, went to the principal, hoping he’d be more lenient and reconsider the decision.

The principal shook his head and signaled for Alice’s homeroom teacher, Hayden Carter, to handle the situation.

Hayden never thought Alice would do something like this. As a student in her final year, Alice should be focused on her studies, not causing trouble.

And not only did she report Shermaine, but she also dragged Mason into it. She was even disrespectful to her teachers. There was no place for a student like her at this school.

“Mrs. Joy, you should consider yourself lucky that it’s just an expulsion and not legal action. When she transfers to a new school, make sure she learns to focus on her studies instead of meddling in other people’s business. Look where that’s gotten her now,” Hayden advised.

Vanessa immediately understood everything. In a fit of rage, she snapped at Alice, “How many times have I told you to stay away from boys? But you never listen! And now, because of a boy, you’ve done something so disgraceful. I’m so disappointed in you.”

Alice, unable to hold back any longer, broke down in tears.

Leslie couldn’t care less about how Alice was doing. He was filled with regret for misunderstanding that Shermaine had cheated when, in reality, her grades were earned fair and square.

He turned his gaze to Shermaine, who was surrounded by many students, looking stunning like the shining sun. It was hard for him to accept that Shermaine had outperformed him, but his heart was racing faster because of her.

With so many people apologizing, Shermaine couldn’t leave right away—although she didn’t think it was necessary. Just then, her phone rang in her pocket. She lowered her head, pulled it out, and glanced at the screen—it was Joshua calling.

He rarely called her, while she had reached out to him a few times. She couldn’t help but wonder what he wanted this time.