Everyone was speechless, thinking, Avery’s words are razor-sharp. They wanted to scold her, to defend poor Zoe, but they couldn’t say anything. Avery’s score was genuinely higher—sothing she could brag about for the rest of her life. There was nothing they could possibly criticize her for.
Andrew’s expression was as dark as Zoe’s, though fortunately for him, his face was hidden behind a mask.
"Avery, don’t get so arrogant!" he snapped angrily. "It’s just a 70-point difference. What’s so impressive about that? You probably cheated—"
"Can’t accept defeat, can you?" Avery cut him off with a smile. "When you lose, you resort to accusing others of cheating without a shred of evidence. That’s so typical of the Kennerly family."
"And honestly, I didn’t even think it was worth bragging about beating her by 70 points, yet Zoe went all out, throwing a grand graduation party just to flaunt her score, as if she was afraid people wouldn’t notice. It’s honestly laughable."
Slap! Zoe felt as if she could hear the sting of her own humiliation echoing in her ears. She wished the ground would swallow her whole. Zoe’s parents looked just as embarrassed. The pride and joy they had felt monts ago vanished the instant Avery’s score was revealed, leaving only sha, just like Zoe. If they had known it would end like this, they would never have hosted this party.
"Miss Carter," Jarred said, his face stiff with displeasure. "Even if you scored higher than Zoe, there’s no need to be so condescending..."
For the sake of Zoe’s dignity, he was ready to "politely" ask Avery and her family to leave. But before he could speak further, a sudden commotion erupted near the entrance.
Soone burst into the room, shouting excitedly, "Mr. Moran is here!"
The na rippled through the crowd like a stone dropped in a pond, causing waves of astonishnt. In an instant, everyone’s attention shifted away from Avery and Zoe. Nearly everyone was asking:
"Which Mr. Moran? Could it really be that one?"
"It’s that Mr. Moran!" soone who had been smoking outside yelled excitedly. "The one from Moran Group—there’s no doubt!"
"Oh my God, what’s he doing here?"
People instinctively stood up, inching closer to the entrance, eager to catch a glimpse of him—and maybe even exchange a few words.
"This is supposed to be Zoe’s graduation party. Could he be here to congratulate her?"
"Zoe must have so serious connections. To have so many influential guests, even Mr. Moran, at a graduation party..."
"But Mr. Moran wouldn’t show up just to see the second-ranked student. The Murray family must have gone to great lengths to invite him."
As the whispers grew, an imposing and elegant figure appeared at the entrance, imdiately capturing everyone’s attention.
It really was Alexander. Even those who had never seen him before could instantly recognize that he wasn’t an ordinary person. To possess such striking looks would be a blessing, but his presence went beyond re appearance. The air of nobility, elegance, and natural authority that surrounded him was sothing that could only be cultivated through generations of refinent—a regal aura that radiated brilliance.
However, despite the awe, there was a curious buzz among the crowd. Alexander was wearing a stylish gentleman’s hat and holding a large bouquet of roses.
They thought, Why is he wearing a hat? And who are the flowers for?
Almost everyone instinctively stood up, watching him with reverence. Zoe’s parents quickly stood up, rushing forward in excitent, their words tumbling over each other.
"Mr. Moran, what a surprise! What brings you here?"
On stage, Zoe’s eyes lit up, her cheeks flushed, and she clenched her fists in anticipation as she fixated on him. Her mind raced uncontrollably.
Could it be that Mr. Moran brings flowers to my graduation party because he’s interested in ? Is this his way of getting closer?
It seed like a wild fantasy, almost too good to be true. But when she thought about it, she was young, beautiful, smart, and ca from a respected family. Her reputation was impeccable.
She thought, Isn’t it entirely possible that Mr. Moran might be attracted to ?
anwhile, both Andrew and Lucas looked distinctly displeased. They had been two of the main attractions of the evening, with most of the won’s attention focused on them. But now that Alexander had arrived, he had completely stolen their spotlight.
Click, click! The reporters, upon seeing Alexander, reacted like starving dogs spotting a bone. They quickly forgot about the rare perfect scorer and sward toward him, their caras flashing wildly.
"Mr. Moran, are you here to celebrate with Miss Murray?"
"What’s your relationship with Miss Murray?"
"Was your attendance planned, or did you decide to co at the last minute?"
Several prominent figures also approached, their faces wreathed in smiles.
"Mr. Moran, it’s an honor to et you! I’m..."
Alexander ignored them all, his gaze fixed on the stage as he strode forward. Even though many were eager to chat with him, no one dared block his path, and they quickly stepped aside.
Jarred walked alongside Alexander, beaming with enthusiasm. "We’re honored to have you at my daughter’s graduation party, Mr. Moran—"
Alexander didn’t even glance at him, instead striding purposefully up the steps to the stage.
Zoe watched him approach, her mind racing with thoughts of how to greet him. She wanted to show her joy and happiness at eting him, but she also needed to be modest and reserved—she couldn’t let him think she was too eager or overly confident.
anwhile, Avery stared blankly at Alexander, wondering why he was there. She thought, Why is he still wearing that hat? Does he have so kind of wound on his head that he doesn’t want people to see?
Alexander was only a few steps away from Zoe now.
The crowd watched her with envy, unable to hide their jealousy.
"Miss Murray’s luck is incredible. She’s the second top scorer and now has caught Mr. Moran’s attention. I’m so jealous I could cry."
"Zoe’s background is decent, but for years, all in the city talked about was Avery, not her. It’s only because Avery isn’t the Murphy family’s real daughter that Zoe had this chance to shine..."
"At least in terms of n, Zoe finally has the upper hand over Avery..."
"Compared to Mr. Moran, Mr. Harper and Mr. Murphy seem utterly ordinary—they’re not even in the sa league..."
Zoe was thinking along the sa lines. If she could really develop sothing with Alexander, she would beco the most envied woman in the country.
She thought, What will Avery matter then? Being a perpetual runner-up will be insignificant.
Just as Alexander reached her, she eagerly stepped forward and extended her hands.
"Thank you for the flowers, Mr. Moran."
"What are you doing?" Alexander frowned, shifting the flowers aside with a look of displeasure. "These flowers are for Miss Carter. They have nothing to do with you."
Zoe’s smile froze on her face, her hands suspended awkwardly in mid-air. It was as if an invisible hand had hit the pause button on her, leaving her stuck in place, unsure of where to put her hands or how to move.
The embarrassnt and humiliation on her face were so evident that even the crowd felt too uncomfortable to mock her.
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