Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Then Let’s Make a Bet
Cecilia Sterling struggled to pull her hand back, but to no avail. Her gaze darkened, and she snapped in a low voice, "Let go!"
"Shawn Lane, calm down. Let her go first." Estelle Goodman stood up when she saw what was happening. There were so many people in the cafeteria; making a scene would only turn them into a laughingstock.
Shawn Lane’s eyes were bloodshot. He had been up all night and hadn’t slept, leaving him looking haggard and irritable.
But now, facing Cecilia Sterling, looking at her flawless, porcelain-white face, the anger in his heart instantly dissipated.
He let go of her hand and forced himself to calm down. "I’m sorry, Cecilia. I... I was a little impulsive."
He had returned to school to face these things with Cecilia, not to interrogate her.
Remembering his original intention, Shawn Lane hastily organized his words. "I know the Lane Group canceling the donation to the department has implicated you, but don’t worry. I’ll definitely help you resolve this. I won’t let the promise you made in front of everyone fall through."
"There’s no need. I’ll fulfill the promise I made myself. I don’t need your help," Cecilia Sterling said coldly, turning to leave.
Shawn Lane anxiously blocked her path, asking in confusion, "It’s come to this, and you’re still refusing my help? Do you have any idea how much an astronomical telescope costs?"
"Of course she knows. Isn’t she the top student in the astronomy department?" Beatrice Lynn sneered. "Shawn, I think you should just stay out of it. I’d love to see how she plans to clean up this mess she made by biting off more than she could chew."
"Can you just shut up?" Shawn Lane roared, turning to glare furiously at Beatrice Lynn.
Beatrice Lynn was taken aback. "I... I can’t even tell the truth? She’s the one who made this mess, and the whole school is waiting to watch her make a fool of herself. Why should you be the one to clean it up for her?"
Before anyone else could react, Estelle Goodman shot Beatrice Lynn an irritated look and retorted, "What are you talking about? When did you ever see Cecilia ask Shawn to clean up her mess? Isn’t he the one insisting on getting involved? Did Cecilia ever call him? Did she ever say the word ’please’? Where’s your proof?"
Beatrice Lynn opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for a rebuttal. Finally, she glared and said, "The very idea that someone like her would dare to talk about donating an astronomical telescope to the school! Isn’t it obvious she only said that so Shawn would step up and solve the problem for her? Does she have the ability to do it herself?"
’I already investigated. This Cecilia Sterling is from Veridia, and her family is very ordinary. While not poor, they’re definitely not wealthy.’
’If she wasn’t relying on Shawn’s affection for her, what right would she have to talk about donating anything to the school?’
’In the end, wouldn’t it be Shawn who has to figure something out and beg Mr. Lane to make the donation?’
Estelle Goodman found Beatrice Lynn’s words laughable. She had clearly seen Cecilia Sterling’s order page herself. She had tried to convince her to donate just one, but Cecilia had insisted on donating four.
Now, to see everyone looking down on Cecilia’s capabilities like this... they were truly blind.
Whispers began to rise from the surrounding crowd. People were skeptical of Cecilia Sterling’s claim. Unlike Shawn Lane, whose status as a rich young master was well-known, Cecilia was famous on campus for her beauty. Those who didn’t know her family background found it hard to believe she could donate something worth over a thousand dollars to the school all at once, especially in her own name.
Which of those huge donations weren’t made under the name of a company or corporation? Even when the Lane Group donated, it was promoted under the banner of corporate charity, and the honor was never attributed to Shawn Lane alone.
Hearing the crowd’s chatter, Beatrice Lynn couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow smugly. She no longer cared if Shawn would get angry with her; right now, she just wanted to seize the opportunity to crush Cecilia Sterling and make her lose all face.
She sneered, "Cecilia Sterling, you keep saying you and Shawn have already broken up, so you have no business using his feelings. If you can’t afford the donation, just say so. It’s not like anyone had any hopes for it in the first place. Four astronomical telescopes, even the most basic models, are no small sum. If you admit now that you were just bragging, the most people will do is laugh at you in private. They won’t blame you."
"Beatrice Lynn, shut your mouth!" Shawn Lane roared. He turned and moved closer to her, saying viciously, "Say one more word and I’ll throw you out of here. You believe me?"
Beatrice Lynn tilted her head back, meeting Shawn Lane’s gaze without flinching. She was deeply in love with him, but she was no docile little rabbit who obeyed his every word.
"Auntie asked me to watch you. I won’t let you do anything stupid," Beatrice Lynn said, not showing any weakness.
Cecilia Sterling was already tired of watching the two of them go back and forth. Composing her expression, she walked over, gently pushed Shawn Lane aside, and stood before Beatrice Lynn herself.
A shadow passed over Beatrice Lynn’s eyes, but she quickly glared back with a defiant expression.
Seeing Beatrice’s aggressive and unyielding demeanor, Cecilia Sterling curled her lip into a slight sneer. "You keep saying I’m all talk, that I can’t afford to donate. How about we make a bet?"
"Bet on what?" Beatrice Lynn’s brows knitted together as she asked with some hesitation.
Cecilia Sterling said casually, "If I fulfill my promise to the school, you have to run three laps around the track in the evening when it’s most crowded, shouting that you’re a dumbass. How about it?"
Pfft...
Is she for real? So blunt!
A beautiful girl cursing is actually kinda cute. I’m really starting to like Cecilia Sterling’s personality.
Is that other girl Shawn Lane’s sister or something? The way she keeps calling him ’Brother Shawn’... she’s really targeting Cecilia.
I don’t really believe Cecilia can pull it off, but man, I kinda want to see the other girl do the punishment. What’s wrong with me?
Hey, should we crowdfund to help Cecilia Sterling? I wanna see it too.
The crowd of students was instantly intrigued, and their murmurs reached the ears of the small group.
Beatrice Lynn’s face instantly flushed red. ’How dare Cecilia Sterling humiliate me in public?’
"And what if you lose?" Beatrice Lynn said through gritted teeth. "You can’t use Shawn’s connections!"
"Of course. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. From now on, I won’t have any emotional or financial ties to him whatsoever," Cecilia Sterling said with a frank expression. "If I lose, I’ll do the same punishment and run three laps around the track. Or I could drop out of school. Whatever makes you happy."
The moment she heard the words "drop out," Beatrice Lynn’s eyes lit up. "Really? If you lose, you’re willing to drop out and leave Lorcain Tech?"
"I could leave planet Earth, too. Anything goes," Cecilia Sterling said.
Cecilia Sterling’s casual yet certain demeanor made Beatrice Lynn instinctively wary. But then she thought again. ’Without Shawn’s help, how could Cecilia possibly donate something worth over a thousand dollars on her own? Absolutely impossible!’
’Besides, the punishment of her dropping out is just too tempting. Auntie used all her tricks and still couldn’t get the school to expel her. If I can do it, Auntie will definitely like and appreciate me more. Then, my relationship with Shawn will get his parents’ support!’
With such thoughts, Beatrice Lynn’s mind filled with the benefits of winning the bet, and she could barely contain the triumphant smile forming on her lips. "Fine! I’ll take that bet! If you can’t donate what you promised within three days, you’ll drop out and get the hell out of Lorcain Tech!"
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