Chapter 9
Clayton’s face darkened. He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Enough. Let’s talk about this at home.”
“No,” Aline said, pulling away. “Whatever needs to be said can be said right here.”
She looked him dead in the eyes. “You and Joyce really do make a great pair-one cheats, the other’s the mistress. I wish you both a long, miserable life together.”
Clayton’s expression hardened. Joyce’s face went ghostly pale.
Jimmy, one of Clayton’s closest friends, jumped in. “Aline, who the hell do you think you are, talking to Joyce like that? What do you have on her? You think a bottom-tier university orphan deserves a man like Clayton?”
“Watch your mouth!” Clarice snapped, furious. “Aline graduated from the National Defense Academy!”
The table burst into mocking laughter.
“Seriously? She’s trying to pass off a made-up degree like it’s from National Defense?”
“What a joke.”
“You two really are something else-so shameless.”
Joyce stood up, her confidence restored by the jeers. “If you’re going to brag, at least make it believable. Pretending to be a Defense Academy grad? Pathetic. You’re just embarrassing yourself.”
Clarice was about to explode. “Pretending? Her records are in the national database. Look it up if you don’t believe it!”
Aline gently held her friend back and turned to face Joyce, her gaze steady and unshaken.
“My education isn’t something you get to question.”
Joyce frowned. Logically, Aline should’ve been embarrassed or flustered-but instead, she was calm. Composed. Too composed.
It was unsettling.
Just then, Joyce caught a glimpse of a few people walking past their section of the restaurant. One of the men made her eyes light up.
Someone she recognized.
“Professor Olson!” she called out sweetly, putting on a smile. “What a coincidence! I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Frankie Olson turned at the sound of her voice and nodded politely. “Oh, it’s you. Been a while.”
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Chapter 9
He was loosely connected to the Dunn family, so they’d crossed paths before.
“You’re still teaching at the National Defense Academy, right?” she said, keeping her tone light. “That’s funny-some- one at our table claims to be a graduate. Maybe you’ll recognize her?”
The others caught on and grinned, ready for a show.
“Yeah, Aline, didn’t you say you graduated from National Defense?” one of them goaded. “Come on, you’ve gotta know your own professor.”
Aline stepped forward calmly.
“It’s good to see you again, Professor Olson.”
Scoffing erupted around the table.
“She’s still going with the act?”
“Wow, she’s really doubling down.”
“There’s no way someone like her knows him.”
But then Frankie stepped closer, placed a hand gently on Aline’s shoulder, and smiled.
“Well, this is a surprise. It’s been years, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, it has,” Aline replied with a small smile. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been well,” he nodded warmly. “I also heard about your parents. I’m so sorry. My condolences.”
“Thank you,” Aline said softly.
The room went dead quiet.
All those waiting to laugh at her were now left speechless.
Joyce stared, her eyes wide in disbelief. “Professor Olson… you really know her?”
“Of course I do,” he said, as if the question offended him. “She was one of my students. How could I not recognize her?”
He turned to the group. “She was the top science student in all of Uslille the year she was admitted. Caused quite a stir when she enrolled.”
The faces of those waiting to see Aline make a fool of herself now looked downright miserable-“embarrassed” didn’t even begin to cover it.
Top science scorer in all of Uslille?
Anyone who’d ever taken a national exam knew how nearly impossible that was. That title wasn’t just impressive-it was reserved for the genius of geniuses.
And getting into the National Defense Academy? Even harder than Evergreen University. It didn’t just require aca- demic excellence; you needed outstanding physical fitness too.
