Chapter 11

With a sharp motion, Stacey pulled away from Fred and darted toward Rylie. Worry and innocence warred across her features as she exclaimed, "Rylie,please don't get the wrong idea! There's nothing between me and Mr. Dury!"①

Instead of backing off, Stacey tried to catch hold of Rylie's hand. Disgust flickered in Rylie's eyes, and she sidestepped the attempt. No contact was made,but Stacey angled herself awkwardly, let herself topple, and cried out, "Ah!" as she hit the ground.

At the sight, Fred's expression turned stormy.Marching up, he helped Stacey to her feet, then faced Rylie and scoffed, "Go ahead and blame me,Rylie. I'm the unfaithful one! If you've got a problem,deal with me. Don't pick on Stacey!"

A sneer crept onto Rylie's lips as she glared right back. "Pick on her? Really, Fred? She threw herself As tears gathered in her eyes, Stacey quickly spoke up. "Fred, it was my own clumsiness. Rylie had nothing to do with it. Please stop saying things like that about her."

Fred stiffened, the sight of Stacey's tears only sharpening his anger. Glaring at Rylie, he barked,"Enough with your excuses! Stacey's not the scheming type! You use your position as the Kirk family's daughter to keep her down. You pretend to be perfect, but you're always failing your exams,holding everyone in your research team back,and pretending to understand research you don't even try to do!"

Her face cool, Rylie refused to let his words sting."Right, Fred. Stacey outshines me in every possible way. If you're so sure, why not call off our engagement and make her your girlfriend for real?Why keep her just a secret lover?"

No detail of Fred's game escaped her. Their engagement still stood, even as he paraded Stacey around. Deep down, everyone knew why: Stacey, an adopted daughter, meant no claim on the Kirk family's money, and Fred wanted more than a pretty face with empty pockets.

Speechless at first, Fred's anger only grew as Rylie revealed the truth. "You're twisting everything!never made Stacey my side piece!" said Fred,struggling to defend himself.

Mocking laughter bubbled from Rylie as she retorted,"Weren't you just confessing that you were the unfaithful one?"

Silence hung for a beat as Fred struggled for a response, prompting Stacey to fill the void, her voice breaking. "Please, Rylie, I'm the one to blame. After Fred found out about your relationships with other people, he began turning to me for comfort. That's how things grew between us. If you need someone to blame,let it be me."

A collective murmur rippled through the crowd."Rylie's relationship with other people?" someone whispered, the rumor catching like wildfire among the students.

Hearing her name dragged through the mud, Rylie's expression turned thunderous. Before Stacey could even move, she stepped up and delivered a sharp slap to Stacey's cheek.

A stunned hush swept over the room, leaving everyone frozen as Stacey staggered, shock and disbelief written across her face.

"How could you strike her!" shouted Fred, face flushed with fury. He lunged at Rylie, only to have his wrist snatched and flung aside with ease. Rylie's foot swept out, catching him just right so that both Fred and Stacey dropped to their knees before her.

All around them, students drew in quick breaths,wide-eyed at a display of power that none had ever witnessed from Rylie before.

While rubbing her wrist, Rylie stared down at the pair,her voice steady and cold. "Every night, I was either locked away at the lab or pushing Phillip's racing career for your sake. Stacey, have you ever stopped to wonder it you were being fair, saying those things?"

Cupping her cheek, Stacey glared at Rylie through her tears, still putting on a sorrowful face. "Whatever you say is true, Rylie. Just please, don't hurt me again and leave Fred out of it."

Never imagining himself sprawled on the ground because of Rylie, Fred needed help from his classmates just to stand.

Pointing a trembling finger, he exclaimed, "You're just a fake heiress who was thrown out. You play at research, but what have you really accomplished?Why doesn't Dr. Vivian Estrada take you in? Why haven't you come first in any exams? Why not win a racing gold medal? After all you've done, why is it always Stacey who comes out on top?"

With a sly twist to her lips, Rylie retorted,"What makes you think I'm not capable of acing the exams or snagging the top awards?"

Determination flashed in her eyes, a silent vow at most forming that she would reclaim every accolade Stacey had ever taken from her.

Fred leveled a vicious challenge at her. "Go ahead,impress us all - if you manage it, I'll kneel and beg for your forgiveness in front of the whole school! But if you fail, I expect you to crawl around the track for everyone to see and pay for your arrogance."

"Agreed," answered Rylie without missing a beat."There's no need for begging, though. If I win,you can take your turn crawling the track and make your apology right there."

Panic set in for Stacey, and she rushed to intervene."Stop it, Rylie! You'll only drag the Kirk family's name through the mud!"

Giving her a sideways glance, Rylie coolly asked,"Are you willing to put your pride on the line too? Bet on me taking the top spot in the department this year.What do you say?"

Stacey knew that Rylie's real level had always been at the bottom. She was already imagining Rylie crawling in humiliation, but still, she pretended to be reluctant and concerned. "Rylie, I don't want to bet with you. I'm afraid you'll get hurt."

Fred weighed in, eager to see Rylie humbled. "A little lesson might help her tone down that attitude. It'll do her some good,honestly."

A beat of hesitation passed before Stacey lifted her chin and, in a show of devotion, declared, "If I don't outscore her, then I'll accept the loss as mine, too."

Warmth surged through Fred at her words. Where doubt about Stacey's status as an adopted daughter had once held him back, now certainty about her place in the Kirk family erased all hesitation. For the first time, he saw her as the perfect partner.

Taking Stacey's hand, he called out for everyone to hear,"Let every student here serve as witness to our agreement!®

A bitter chuckle left Rylie as she spun on her heel and headed for the school's notice board, a throng of onlookers quickly falling in behind her.

Across the way, a sleek black Bentley sat idle with its door open. An officer was about to step out, but a calm, commanding male voice stopped him. "Hold back, Brock. She can handle herself."

Leaning back against the seat, Brock Hewitt folded his arms and shot a curious look at Brad. "I've never seen you in such high spirits, sir. Guess the legendary doctor's presence really does wonders for your mood."

With a sideways glance, Brad's smmille cooled. "You'd do well to keep your comments to yoursellfi.n

In a flash, Brock mimed sealling his lips, but he only lasted a moment before his curiosity resurfaced."Who would have thought Fred's fiancée and the miracle doctor are one and the same? She's supposed to be the Kirk family's daughter, but lately,there's a storm brewing in that family. The real heiress isn't clear, and if Rylie doesn't belong, people will just write her off as some backwater nobody."

Pausing, Brock's brows knit in confusion. "What puzzles me is this, Mr. Morgan; if Rylie really is the miracle doctor, why would she ruin her own reputation like this? Rumor says she's just a pretty shell-no brains, no heart."

Instead of answering, Brad asked, "Will she come out on top on those exam?"

A thoughtful silence passed before Brock replied with a nod, "She'll do it. If not, you'll have to watch her eat crow in front of the whole school."

Brad's lips twitched into another small smille."We'll know soon enough."

Students packed in tight around the shrouded rankings, hearts pounding as if the announcement was the opening scene of a play.

Feigned sympathy colored Stacey's words as she leaned toward Rylie. "There's still time to back out,Rylie. I could never let you suffer that kind of shame.Just say sorry and let's end this."

A laugh slipped from Rylie, clear and bright. No chance.I'd much rather see you crawling instead,"

As soon as the scores appeared, the entire student body broke into uproar.