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Novel Catalog
Chapter 78
Raine and Norah were completely stunned by Nicole’s revelation.
They had expected her to cower in shame, but instead, Nicole was confident and calm, throwing their accusations back at them with a cool demeanor.
They were caught off guard, especially by Nicole’s explanation regarding her Math Olympiad score.
Neither of them had anticipated this turn of events.
Raine, in particular, couldn’t comprehend how Nicole could be so composed in the face of such scrutiny.
She had always seen Nicole as someone who could easily be pushed around, but today, Nicole had proven her wrong.
The situation was slipping out of their hands, and they were powerless to do anything about it.
At this moment, Daniel, who had been silently watching the exchange, could no longer stay passive.
He turned to Nicole, his voice demanding answers.
“Nicole, what on earth is going on? Your Uncle Damien said you had answered all the questions correctly, so why did you get zero?” Nicole’s lips curled into a sly smile as she met her father’s gaze.
“I spoke with Mr.
Louis today, and he told me that although my answers were correct, he couldn’t award me any marks because I didn’t write out the calculation steps.”
The room fell silent for a moment as everyone absorbed her words.
Snow, who had been quietly observing the exchange, was the first to react.
“So you’re saying that you didn’t need to write out the steps to figure out the answers?” she asked, clearly surprised.
Nicole nodded, her smirk never fading.
Raine, however, was furious.
She jumped to her feet, her eyes blazing with indignation.
“That’s impossible! You must have copied someone else’s answers.
No one could possibly have answered all the questions without showing their work!”
Nicole couldn’t help but chuckle at Raine’s desperation.
She looked at her sharply, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Is that what you think, Raine? In the entire Math Olympiad class, only Gary and you scored the highest marks.
But did either of you get full marks?” she challenged.
Raine’s face drained of color.
Nicole’s words hung in the air, and Raine was unable to come up with a response.
She had been so confident in accusing Nicole of cheating, but now she found herself at a loss.
How could someone who had scored 100 marks possibly copy the answers of someone who had only scored 90?
The truth was undeniable: Nicole had answered every question correctly.
Raine, who had once felt superior, was now left speechless.
The room was eerily quiet as everyone processed the situation.
Even Mr.
Riddle Sr., who had always underestimated Nicole’s abilities, was taken aback.
He had always thought of her as someone who struggled academically, but now he saw her in a new light.
The granddaughter he had dismissed as a failure had just stunned them all with her intellect.
“Hahaha…” Mr.
Riddle Sr.
chuckled, his tone filled with pride.
“I didn’t expect the Riddle family would have a Math Olympiad genius!” He looked around the room, his gaze sharp.
“Is there anyone here still opposed to her participating in the competition?” he asked.
No one dared to speak.
Raine and Norah were completely silent, their earlier accusations now exposed as baseless.
Damien and Dillon exchanged uneasy glances, realizing they could no longer hold onto their previous reservations.
It was clear now that Nicole was a force to be reckoned with, and there was no denying her talent.
Norah, who had been hoping to embarrass Nicole, was now fuming with frustration.
She hadn’t expected this turn of events.
The news about Nicole’s zero scores, which she had thought would humiliate her, had instead backfired.
The family was now in a position where they could no longer criticize Nicole.
Raine, still reeling from the shock, could barely keep her composure.
Her earlier smugness had evaporated, replaced by a deep sense of humiliation.
Seeing that no one else dared to speak, Mr.
Riddle Sr.
waved his hand dismissively.
“Well then, do as Nicole said.
Anyone who continues to speak ill of her will not be welcome in my house.” He had grown tired of the constant bickering and wanted to put an end to the drama once and for all.
He had no patience for anyone who sought to undermine his granddaughter, especially after she had proven herself in such a spectacular way.
The tension in the room gradually dissipated.
Daniel and Gloria, who had been anxious about Nicole’s situation, now felt a sense of relief.
They had worried that their daughter’s academic struggles would reflect poorly on them, but Nicole’s unexpected victory had turned things around.
Daniel, who had always been skeptical of Nicole’s abilities, was now filled with pride.
He couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for his daughter, who had faced the pressure with such grace and determination.
As the family began to disperse, Mr.
Riddle Sr.
retired for the evening, his mind buzzing with the surprising revelation about Nicole’s abilities.
Dillon and Karen, who had been trying to reprimand Raine for her earlier actions, now had to contend with the fact that they had been wrong.
They couldn’t help but feel embarrassed as they left the dining table, knowing that their earlier accusations had been proven false.
Nicole, however, wasn’t interested in basking in the glory of her success.
As she walked alongside her mother, she noticed that Gloria seemed upset.
Nicole turned to her, concerned.
“Mom, why are you crying?” she asked gently.
Gloria wiped away her tears quickly, trying to hide her emotions.
“It’s just… I thought things would be easier now that you’re back.
But I didn’t expect all this trouble,” she confessed.
Nicole smiled softly, her voice filled with understanding.
“It’s okay, Mom.
Things will get better.
I’m not going to let anyone stop me from achieving my goals.” Her words, though simple, were filled with resolve.
Gloria looked at her daughter, a mixture of pride and concern in her eyes.
“I just don’t want you to feel like you have to prove yourself to everyone,” she said quietly.
Nicole squeezed her mother’s hand reassuringly.
“I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone, Mom.
I’m just doing this for myself.”
The two of them walked side by side, the rest of the family trailing behind.
As they left the house, Nicole couldn’t shake the feeling that things were beginning to change.
She had made a name for herself today, but more importantly, she had shown everyone, including herself, that she was capable of so much more than they had ever imagined.