Chapter 38

Just as I was about to speak, my phone in my pocket buzzed. After pulling it out, I saw a message from Javin. I could almost envision his smug expression as I read his words. “Kaelan, do you like the gift I sent you? So what if you won the selection event? Without the chance to compete, you're nothing!” I had suspected as much. This was all Javin's doing. But I refused to let his taunts get to me. I quickly typed my response. "Javin, is that really all you can come up with? Do you honestly think these tactics will work on me?" There was a brief pause before he replied. His message dripped with sarcasm. "I'm eager to see how you plan to turn this around." "We shall see," I replied. With that, I kept my phone and turned to everyone with a solemn expression. "I know you're feeling anxious right now, and I share your concerns. But there's a way to resolve this. I swear to you that I have never plagiarized anyone's work." Next, I locked eyes with Mateo. "Last night, my bag was s