“Anything else?” Nicole sounded cold, clearly wanting to drive her away.
 
Norah felt embarrassed and could only quickly get down to business. “I know that you and Austin have a conflict. I was just worried that our family would get involved, so I said something that might have offended you. Please don’t mind. You may hit me if you are angry.”
 
Norah said with an innocent look, as if Nicole would bully her.
 
Nicole sneered as she despised someone who liked to play the victim like Norah. “Since you know you shouldn’t have said something that shouldn’t be said, you should have corrected yourself instead of coming to me to pretend to apologize.”
 
With that, Nicole slammed the door shut.
 
Norah felt insulted, as if she had been slapped, her face feeling a burning sensation. D*mn it. How dare Nicole disparage her? Did Nicole really think she had the right to reprimand her because she came

Everyone looked at Nicole in admiration. But the more unbelievable things were yet to come.
 
Austin’s followers looked at Austin with confusion, and one of them asked, “But boss, yesterday, this ungrateful brat rejected your—” 
 
Before the guy could finish speaking, Austin gave him a punch with a backhand. “Stop talking like that to Nicole! From now onward, Nicole is my boss. I will not spare those who dare to bully her.”
 
The poor guy glanced angrily at Nicole. Seeing that Austin was serious, the rest bowed their heads and submitted to Nicole. After that, Austin looked at Nicole flatteringly, hoping to get her compliment.
 
Everyone was in a daze for a moment, as they could not believe that all this was true.
 
Jack and Wayne behind them were speechless. Gary watched on with great interest, his eyes falling on Nicole and studying her.
 
But Nicole was nonchalant, giving no reaction to Austin’s actions.
 
She then calmly checked her watch and said to Austin, “I am not your boss. My class is about to start. Don’t bother me anymore.”
 
Austin panicked when he saw Nicole opening a book, as if she was going to study. But his father had repeatedly told him to build a good relationship with Nicole and that he must not piss Nicole off.
 
“I know it was my fault, Nicole. Please forgive me.” Austin humbled himself.
 
But Nicole ignored him, holding the book she had not finished reading. She did not seem to care about this farce that was happening right now.
 
Austin’s face flushed when Nicole ignored him. No one in Royal Creek Institute had ever humiliated him like this. He had been unwilling to call Nicole his boss from the beginning. How could he still be the school bully if Nicole rejected him?
 
“You have got to be the boss, no matter what.”
 
Austin left angrily after saying that. Nicole had no idea that she had rejected something that many people considered great and irresistible. Many were envious of her.
 
Gary saw her nonchalance and knew that Nicole did not take Austin seriously. He could not help but take a greater interest in her.
 
Who was she that even the Woods family was bowing to her?
 
Raine came looking for Gary when she saw Gary staring with interest at Nicole. Angry, she clenched the bag in her hand and took in Gary’s line of sight. “Gary, there is a new café in front of the school. How about we go for a cup of coffee after school?”
 
Gary was displeased when someone blocked his view. When he looked up and saw that it was Raine, he reluctantly agreed.
 
Raine left the classroom feeling pleased. After she left, Bradley leaned over and whispered to Nicole, “I heard Raine had been courting Gary for a long time before Gary accepted Raine. Now it seems that the rumor is true.”
 
Nicole could not help but smirk upon hearing that. Thinking back to how arrogant the twin sisters, Snow and Raine, were when she was back at home last night, it would be interesting to see their family’s reaction when they found out that their daughters were kissing the feet of the Finley brothers.
 
Bradley looked at Nicole and scratched his head. “Stop worrying about others. Maybe you should worry about yourself. Is it really okay for you to reject Austin like this?”
 
“Don’t worry; it will be alright.” Nicole couldn't care less.
 
She was not thinking about Austin at all but focusing her attention and immersed in the Esperian-language book in front of her.
 
Carl somehow came to mind. He was cynical and annoying, but his eyes were always so charming and wicked. Now she wondered how well he had recovered. But she felt less guilty toward him as long as he lived. Thinking of this, she breathed a sigh of relief.
 
The class bell rang, and Nicole slowly pulled her drifting thoughts back. Ms. Emerson walked in her high heels into the class with a stack of test papers in her hands.
 
Ms. Emerson asked Lulu to distribute the test paper while she stood on the podium with her arms folded, her eyes sweeping over the last few rows with a sneer. “Some students in our class couldn’t even plagiarize correctly, making the exact low-level stupid mistakes. Why didn’t you all copy the name, too?”
 
Jack whispered sarcastically, “It must be that Nicole who made the stupid mistake while plagiarizing. We have been doing that for so long, and nothing has happened. Why did Ms. Emerson say someone was plagiarizing as soon as Nicole arrived?”
 
Wayne nodded in agreement with disdain for Nicole in his eyes.
 
Ms. Emerson continued. “Jack, Wayne, Gary, you three are at the same level. What is the point of plagiarizing each other’s answers? You will get more correct answers by throwing the papers to the ground and stepping on them than answering them yourself. Plagiarism is so obvious; were you afraid that I couldn’t find out?”
 
Jack was not too happy when Ms. Emerson only singled out the three of them. “Nicole has done the same thing, too. I saw it with my own eyes. Why don’t you reprimand her?”
 
Ms. Emerson got furious when Jack was trying to implicate Nicole. “Plagiarism is one thing, and slandering your classmate is another. Nicole has got a perfect score. Only she has a perfect score in the class. Even Lulu has answered two questions wrongly. So, tell me, who was plagiarizing whose answers?”




Nicole subtly shook her head to signal Mr. Riddle Sr. He then shook his head and said, “She is fine. She didn’t take it to heart.”
 
“Glad to hear. I will tell that kid from the Woods family to behave. No one will bully Nicole at school from now on. I assured you that.”
 
“Thank you so much.” Mr. Riddle Sr. was elated and immediately thanked Mr. Ellison.
 
“No problem. Let us have a cup of tea together if you have time next time,” Mr. Ellison said politely.
 
“Any time, Mr. Ellison. Call me when you have time.” Mr. Riddle Sr. was flattered. Not anyone could meet Mr. Ellison, and it was unimaginable that Mr. Ellison would ask to meet him. So, he agreed immediately.
 
“Sure.” After that, Mr. Ellison hung up.
 
The air felt standstill as everyone who heard the conversation looked at Nicole in disbelief.
 
Norah was most surprised. She had not believed it at all that Mr. Ellison would still 

“Anything else?” Nicole sounded cold, clearly wanting to drive her away.
 
Norah felt embarrassed and could only quickly get down to business. “I know that you and Austin have a conflict. I was just worried that our family would get involved, so I said something that might have offended you. Please don’t mind. You may hit me if you are angry.”
 
Norah said with an innocent look, as if Nicole would bully her.
 
Nicole sneered as she despised someone who liked to play the victim like Norah. “Since you know you shouldn’t have said something that shouldn’t be said, you should have corrected yourself instead of coming to me to pretend to apologize.”
 
With that, Nicole slammed the door shut.
 
Norah felt insulted, as if she had been slapped, her face feeling a burning sensation. D*mn it. How dare Nicole disparage her? Did Nicole really think she had the right to reprimand her because she came to apologize?
 
“Let’s wait and see, Nicole.” She stomped her feet angrily before taking her things

Chapter 23