The Pinnacle of Academic Symposium officially began, and a wave of applause swept through the venue like an Incoming tide The host smiled as he addressed the audience. âThe most anticipated moment of todayâs Pinnacle of Academic Symposium is the first public appearance of Mr. Alvarez and Miss Genius C Iâm sure everyone has been eagerly awaiting the debut of this incredible genius girl.â
At his words, all eyes nimed toward Adam and the empty seat beside him.
Someone in the audience couldnât hold back and called out, âWe canât wait any longer! Let the genius girl take the stage already!â
The host chuckled warmly. âAlright, then. Up next is the highly anticipated appearance of Miss Genus C, who will deliver the opening speech for the Pinnacle of Academic Symposium.â
The genius girl was about to appear.
The noisy hall fell into a sudden, profound silence. Every breath was held, every gaze fixed on the stage.
Melody and the classmates seated nearby Jeaned toward one , whispering excitedly, âSheâs coming! Sheâs finally coming!â
Sonia Tracy, and Lucy had been searching for Celine ever since they entered the venue, but they hadnât been able to find her anywhere.
Frustrated, they decided to stop looking and focus on the stage instead. After all, this was the main reason theyâd come. Their curiosity burned, they couldnât wait to see who this elusive genius girl was.
Carly, on the other hand, felt nothing but jealousy and malice.
sneered inwardly, âLetâs see what this soâcalled genius girl looks like. Sheâs probably hideous.â
Benjamin clutched his bouquet of red roses tightly, and his palms were damp with sweat.
Damn it. He, the infamous troublemaker of Mercity, was actually nervous.
âAdam, my goddess is about to take the stage!â
Adam didnât respond. Instead, he simply lifted his eyes, his piercing pace settling on the podium. And then, a slender, graceful figure emerged under the lights.
She was wearing a simple white blouse paired with a fitted black pencil skirt. The understated uniform hugged her frame, perfectly outlining her youthful yet elegant silhouette. Her jetâblack was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore no jewelry or accessories.
moved from the shadows into the dazzling lights, her every movement exuding composure and poise.
She reached the podium, her bright eyes swept across the audience, taking in the sea of faces before her. Then, with a soft, composed smile, she Introduced herself âHello, everyone. My name Celine Tate.â
Her clear, melodic voice carried through the microphone, ringing crisply in everyoneâs earsâNOW Adam, who had been sitting back lazily in his chair, suddenly straightened up. His gaze locked onto Celine and refused to shift even the slightest bit.
He was stunned It was her? It was actually her!
So, Celine Tate was Miss Genus C.
In the right section of the venue, Sonia and Tracyâs eyes widened in unison as they recognized the figure on stage. Their pupils contracted in shock.
âCeline?â
âOh my God, Melody, loold Celine!â one of the classmates exclaimed, tugging at Melodyâs sleeve.
Melodyâs head snapped toward the stage. She froze, her jaw slack as if sheâd just seen a ghost. Words faärd her.
Why was it Celine? Wasnât she supposed to be the infamous âGoddess of Sleep?
The most stunned of , however, were Carly and Lucy. The moment Celine stepped onto the stage, both women shot up from their seats, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief.
âHow could it be Celine? No way! She dropped out of school when she was 16!â Carly stammered.
But before Carly could say another word, murmurs began to ripple through the audience. The hushed voices were filled with admiration and awe âWow, the genim girl has finally made her appearance. I heard sheâs just like Mr. Alvarez, she slapped and earned dual masterâs degrees from Hallard University at 16. Thatâs why she stopped going to schoolâ at 16.â
Carlyâs breath hitched audibly.
Her thoughts were in chaos. âSo that was it. Celine stopped going schoolâ at 16, but the difference between âstopped going to schoolâ and âdropped out of school was astronomical.â
It turned out that Celine, like Adam, had graduated with dual masterâs degrees by the age of 16.
The rumors about her being the âGoddess of Sleepâ? Fake.
The claims that she had no education? Also fake.
All this time, Celine was the genius girl everyone revered. And Adamâs mysterious Miss Genius C? She was Celine.