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Cordelia couldnât fathom why the whole world seemed to be making such a fuss over Batraâs Conjecture. To her, it was just another problem solved, no big deal.
Lately, sheâd been just as perplexed as anyone about the stir her achievement had caused. So, when confronted with the question, Cordelia could only shrug and admit her bewilderment. âI have no idea.â
The dean was livid. âWhat do you mean? Superiority College has offered you a scholarship based on your performance in the National League. There to be a reason for that!â He was at his witâs end.
Sure, a scholarship was supposed to be a good thing. It brought some prestige to Greenmeadow International School. But who could have predicted such a commotion? Superiority College, steeped in tradition and academic excellence, wasnât easily ruffled. Yet, here they were, with journalists at their gates and threats of exposure.
The SATs were supposed to be the epitome of fairness, watched by the whole nation. If they couldnât provide a solid explanation for this, the Department of Education might swoop in for a thorough investigation!
The deanâs rant was cut short by a booming voice, âThen why donât go ask Superiority College?â
Latham marched into the room and slapped yesterdayâs math test on the desk sending a cloud of chalk dust
into the .
The dean waved the dust from his face. âLatham, what on earth are you doing?â
Latham snorted. âSince when do we discuss such matters in the classroom? This podium is for teaching, not for bullying students!â
The dean was immediately on the defensive. âBullying? Superiority Collegeâs scholarship offer has to be based on something!â
Latham, too, was mystified by the whole affair, but he had been the one to receive the call from Superiority College. Cordelia had even hung up on them, mistaking it for a scam. That meant Superiority College was the one seeking her out, especially since their math department had been outshone by Top Crest Academy.
Now that there was a problem, Superiority College wasnât offering any explanations. Latham couldnât let Cordelia take the fall. âI can vouch for Cordelia. Sheâs done nothing wrong,â Latham declared, his anger palpable.
The dean was taken aback. âYou vouch for her?
how will you do that?â
âI stake my entire teaching career on it. My years of service, my senior teacherâs title. Is that enough for you? Lathamâs declaration resonated through the room, each word firm and decisive.
The dean was shocked. âLatham, why put so much on the line?â
Latham pointed at Cordelia, his voice filled with righteous indignation. âSheâs my student. If she bribed a professor, I would resign on my accord. But until things ape clear, if you even think about expelling her, Iâll walk out right alongside her!â
As a senior teacher and a prized asset of Greenmeadow International School, the dean could not afford to lose Latham or to continue targeting Cordelia. He simply tapped Latham on the shoulder, sighed, and left the room. Once the dean was gone, Latham resumed place at the podium as if nothing had happened. âWhat are you all staring at? Do you not realize weâre only eight months away from the SATS? Get your heads out of the clouds! After those dismal quiz scores yesterday, youâve got to do better than that if going to be worthy of the roles Iâve got lined up for you in the school play!â
The students quickly dove back into their books and paid attention to the lesson.
Cordelia, still seated, watched Latham before a rare smile crept across her face.
During the break, Juliana headed to the drama club.
Hayley didnât a moment. âWith Cordelia caught up in a scandal, are you sure sheâs the one want playing the role of Blandâs first love?â
The news hadnât quite reached the fever pitch of celebrity gossip, so only those following the SATs closely were aware of Cordeliaâs situation. The assistant director was caught off . âWhat?â
Hayley showed him the online post about Cordelia and spoke . âRemember that highâprofile celebrity who was caught in an academic fraud scandal a few years back? He was blacklisted from the industry, and the university expelled him. This just hit the trending topics today. Itâs not widely known yet, but once it blows up, it might be too late to recast.â
Hayley at the assistant director earnestly. âIâm huge fan of Bland, and I hate to see a good production suffer because of one personâs scandal. Thatâs why I came to give you a heads up.â
After reading the post, the assistant director was stunned. âThanks for letting me know. Juliana, go back and wait for our call. We need to have an emergency meeting, but it looks like weâll probably be asking you to step
in.â
Juliana nodded smiling as she left.
As she and Hayley walked back to class, Hayley couldnât help but sneer, The thought of some nobody from an orphanage even attempting to outshine you? Thatâs a joke! This role was always meant to be yours.â
Juliana curled her lips into a smug smile, the satisfaction clear on her face.
Once back in the classroom, Hayley couldnât help but boast, âSome people have skeletons in their closet that disqualify them from certain opportunities. If I were you, step down from the production. But since you lack selfâawareness, I couldnât stand by and watch you bring down the whole show. So, Iâve already informed the assistant director. Theyâre likely to give the part to Juliana!â
Merry was furious. âOn what grounds?â
She turned to Cordelia. âLia, ask my idol for help. He can clear this up with just one word.â
It was risky to associate with someone in the middle of a scandal, but Cordelia wasnât just anybody to Merry. She believed Bland should help.
Cordelia seemed unfazed. âSure.â
The internet buzzed with activity as the story steadily fermented across social media platforms. By noon, the post had been shared a whopping two hundred thousand times, with the view count soaring into the millions Amidst the public outcry, demanding Superiority College to explain itself, a bombshell dropped in academia that eclipsed everything else.
Someone had proven Batraâs Conjecture!
Eyes darted to the name on the research paper, Cordelia Delaney. Who was that? No renowned mathematician In the country went by that name. Further scrutiny revealed she was just a girl, a young one at that. She was a mere 18 years old and still in high school..
Universities across the nation were shellâshocked. Math department professors at every college were frantically dialing their admissions offices, âFind out who Cordelia Delaney is! We need to recruit her, and we need to do it now!â
Top Crest Academy remained unusually calm, confident in the knowledge that they already housed the best math minds around. But when Professor Farrar heard the name Cordelia Delaney coupled with Batraâs Conjecture, he was floored. He slapped his forehead in astonishment, âQuick, call Greenmeadow International School! We need to make a special offer! We must recruit her too!â
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