Chapter 52

Elena drove her new car back to Westbridge University and registered it for long-term campus access.

There were plenty of wealthy students at Westbridge, so the staff barely gave the car a second glance. Once Elena submitted the online application, they quickly added her vehicle to the system.

She only had two classes that afternoon.

After the second one ended, Elena stepped into the hallway and happened to run into Sophia Bennett coming out of the classroom next door.

Sophia spotted her immediately, and her expression turned slightly awkward.

“Whoa, is that Elena Hayes?”

One of the students beside Sophia looked surprised.

“You two are roommates, right? God, if I got to look at that face every day, even cafeteria food would start tasting better.”

Sophia’s expression became even more complicated.

Normally, falling out with a roommate was a pain. You still had to see each other every day, after all.

Except—

Elena hadn’t slept in the dorm for several nights.

“What happened?” the student beside Sophia whispered. “You guys don’t get along?”

Sophia had originally planned to ignore Elena.

At that question, however, she immediately shook her head.

“Who said that? We get along great. We used to go out together all the time.”

In reality, they had only gone out together a handful of times.

Still, Sophia walked over.

“Ellie, want to grab dinner at the dining hall together?”

She smiled warmly, as if the tension between them over the past few days had never happened.

Elena remained perfectly calm.

“No, thanks. I’m not eating there today.”

Sophia’s smile stiffened slightly.

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re dieting again. Your figure is already amazing. If you lose any more weight, you’ll disappear.”

Elena: “...”

The original Elena had occasionally talked about dieting, but that was mostly all it had been—talk.

She ate a wide variety of foods, but she got full easily, so her overall calorie intake had never been particularly high.

And although she had grown less disciplined about training, she had never completely stopped dancing. She still had classes to attend.

There had never been much chance of her gaining weight in the first place.

Elena tilted her head.

“No. I just think the food there is a little too greasy. It’s fine once in a while, but I don’t feel great eating it too often.”

Sophia blinked.

“Then—”

A mocking laugh interrupted her.

“Well, of course Westbridge’s famous campus beauty is too refined for cafeteria food.”

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Everyone turned toward the voice.

Charlotte Whitmore approached with several girls trailing behind her, the sharp click of her limited-edition heels echoing down the hallway.

Her makeup was immaculate today.

And the way she looked at Elena carried the unmistakable superiority of someone who believed she had finally discovered a devastating secret.

The moment Sophia saw Charlotte approaching, she quietly stepped aside.

Apparently, dinner could wait.

This looked much more interesting.

Charlotte stopped about six feet from Elena, folded her arms, and slowly looked her up and down.

“Well, I suppose some people have really moved up in the world.”

Her voice was deliberately loud.

“Why would they still squeeze into the dining hall with the rest of us? I’m sure someone already has very special dinner plans tonight.”

There were plenty of students passing through the hallway.

At Charlotte’s raised voice, more than a few slowed down.

Curious glances began moving between the two women.

Charlotte clearly enjoyed the attention.

Her gaze settled on Elena’s strikingly beautiful face.

“After all, someone’s been getting picked up in luxury cars lately.”

She smiled.

“So what is it tonight? A three-Michelin-star restaurant? Some exclusive private club?”

Then she tilted her head.

“Come on, Elena. Which rich older gentleman has been taking such good care of you?”

The hallway suddenly went quiet.

Whispers broke out among the students.

When Elena didn’t immediately answer, Charlotte took her silence for guilt.

Her smile widened.

“What? Nothing to say now?”

She gave a soft laugh.

“If you’re bold enough to do it, you should be bold enough to admit it. Tell me his name. Maybe my family knows him.”

She paused.

Then, with exaggerated surprise, Charlotte covered her mouth with one hand.

“Oh, wait...”

“Maybe I should be asking which grandfather it is.”

Several students failed to suppress their laughter.

Sophia’s eyes practically lit up.

She had never imagined Elena was secretly playing at this level.

But—

Giving up someone as young and handsome as Adrian for an old man?

Just how rich did this man have to be?

Sophia suddenly remembered the diamond earrings people online had claimed were worth millions of dollars.

So not only was he rich.

He was generous.

Elena sighed.

“Charlotte, you sound awfully confident about all this.”

She looked at her thoughtfully.

“You must have dated quite a few grandfathers yourself. Otherwise, how did you become such an expert?”

Charlotte’s smile froze.

“What the hell are you talking about—”

“How am I wrong?”

Elena cut her off without mercy.

“I honestly had no idea you were such a kindhearted person, Miss Whitmore.”

She took a step forward.

Charlotte was considerably shorter than Elena. Even in heels, she still had to look slightly upward at her.

“Your family’s already loaded, and you still make time to care for lonely senior citizens? Wow, Charlotte. That’s practically community service.”

Elena blinked innocently.

“So what do your dates look like? Emptying bedpans? Taking Grandpa out for a spin in his wheelchair—”

“Pfft—”

Someone in the crowd lost it.

That single laugh was enough.

Students all around them immediately covered their mouths, shoulders shaking.

Even Sophia nearly lost control of her expression.

Charlotte’s face turned scarlet.

“Elena Hayes! You shameless bitch! How dare you make up something like that about me?!”

“Why are you getting so worked up?”

Elena raised an eyebrow.

“I was joking.”

She paused.

“You haven’t actually done it, have you?”

Then Elena covered her mouth, looking suddenly apologetic.

“I’m sorry, Miss Whitmore. I have nothing against older people. If you’re both single adults, then of course you’re free to date whoever you want—”

“Shut up!”

Charlotte was practically shaking with rage.

Elena sucked in a startled breath.

“Wait.”

Her eyes widened dramatically.

“They weren’t single?”

Her expression instantly changed to one of horrified disbelief.

“Charlotte! How could you?”

“You can have whatever preference you want, but you can’t go after married men and wreck other people’s families!”

Elena looked almost heartbroken on behalf of these imaginary wives.

“If word of this gets out, how are your parents supposed to show their faces in their social circle?”

Silence.

For three full seconds, the hallway was completely silent.

Then someone laughed.

Another person followed.

And suddenly, the entire hallway erupted.

Elena’s acting was obviously exaggerated.

But somehow, in this situation, that only made it funnier.

Or perhaps Charlotte’s expression was simply too entertaining.

“You... you...”

Charlotte was trembling with fury.

Her carefully applied makeup couldn’t hide how badly her face had twisted.

She gritted her teeth and looked ready to charge at Elena.

Unfortunately, the heels she was wearing were hardly ideal for a fight.

Her gaze immediately shifted toward the girls standing behind her.

Elena calmly reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of bright orange-red juice.

Pieces of fruit pulp were clearly visible inside.

Charlotte’s friends: “...”

Every single one of them had spent time on her makeup and hair.

None of them had any interest in taking a faceful of juice for Charlotte.

Charlotte clenched her teeth.

“Elena! Just you wait! You filthy little gold—”

She never got to finish.

The orange-red juice flew straight into her face.

Elena hadn’t even bothered to let her complete the insult.

Seriously.

If she already had the weapon in her hand, why should she stand there and politely listen to another round of abuse first?

“AHHH!”

Charlotte screamed.