Chapter 42
Chapter 42:
The campus, situated on the outskirts of the city, didn’t require local students to live in campus dorms. After dropping her daughters off at the entrance, Donna waved goodbye and drove away.
As soon as Donna was out of sight, Bella dropped her pretense of warmth. “Yelena, I’m in the honors class, so we probably won’t see each other much. I’ll be going now,” she said, her tone curt and dismissive. Without waiting for a response, Bella turned on her heel and walked off.
Yelena, unbothered, slung her bag casually over her shoulder and headed toward the president’s office. She’d already hacked into the university’s system the day before and memorized the campus layout, so navigating the grounds was effortless.
Reaching the office, she knocked a few times, and a male voice called from inside, “Come in p>
Yelena pushed the door open and stepped in. Hugh Wilson, the university president, glanced up, and for a moment, his eyes widened in surprise. Then, standing up with a beaming smile, he exclaimed, “Yelena! Fantastic, you’re here. Why didn’t you let me know ahead of time? I would’ve come to welcome you personally p>
His tone was filled with genuine enthusiasm, his excitement palpable. Yelena offered a polite smile, her voice calm and measured. “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Wilson. I can handle things myself p>
“Alright, give me a moment, and I’ll have Miss Barnes from the honors class show you to your classroom,” Hugh said warmly, reaching for the phone to make the call.
A short while later, Flora Barnes entered the office, her expression betraying her displeasure. Her posture was rigid, and the subtle furrow of her brow spoke volumes. Rumors about a transfer student joining the honors class had already reached her ears—a student said to have gained admission through connections. The very thought irked her. The honors class wasn’t for just anyone; it was reserved for the elite, those who truly earned their place.
As her gaze landed on Yelena, Flora paused. The girl’s striking features and cool, detached demeanor immediately stood out. Her deep, intense eyes carried an air of quiet confidence. Flora’s initial irritation deepened. Yelena seemed like someone who didn’t take orders easily. This wasn’t going to be as simple as she’d hoped.
F𝒾𝓷𝒶𝓁 𝓬𝒉𝓪𝓹𝓉𝓮𝓇𝓈 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝓈.ℂ𝗈𝗺
“Miss Barnes, Miss Yelena Roberts here is an exceptional student. I’m counting on you to help her settle in.” What Flora didn’t know, however, was that Hugh’s confidence wasn’t misplaced. He knew more than he let on. He was fully aware of Yelena’s extraordinary abilities. Yet, due to their agreement, it wasn’t his place to share that truth—not yet.
Flora never could have guessed that Yelena was the infamous prodigy known as Y, the enigmatic genius who had once captivated an entire nation.
Years ago, when Hugh had taken Yelena to compete in a national competition, she had been just eleven years old, but her brilliance was undeniable. Her IQ was off the charts, particularly in science and mathematics. Even at that young age, she had been a force to be reckoned with. Yelena was a natural-born genius, effortlessly dominating national and international competitions in advanced mathematics. First place was her norm, not the exception.
Due to her age and exceptional abilities, her personal information had been kept strictly confidential for her protection. Only whispers and rumors of her achievements circulated. Hugh, having witnessed her unparalleled talent firsthand, had long hoped she would one day join Kheley University. He envisioned her contributing to groundbreaking scientific research and advancing fields few could comprehend. In all his years in academia, he had never encountered a student with such extraordinary potential.