Noble Girls Bullied Me, But My Mom Is the Empress

"Stuff some more trash in there. Trash deserves a trash can for a locker." At noon I went to the locker room to change my shoes. I had just come through the door when I saw Venetia and a few other rich girls throwing garbage into my locker. It was packed so full the door would not close. My coat and my shoes were in the actual garbage can. Venetia raised an eyebrow when she saw me come in. "Good. Now you've seen it. You aren't welcome at this school. Trash belongs where it belongs. "I'll give you one more week to leave on your own. Otherwise, I've got other ways to deal with you." I answered coldly, "You don't get to decide who stays at this school." Venetia gave a soft laugh and drew one immaculately manicured finger across my face. "You'll find out soon enough whether what I say counts. "My daddy is the largest shareholder in this school, and every family here donates to it regularly. "Getting you expelled takes one sentence. Understand? Don't test my patience." The girls behind her all wore the same sneer, and they shouldered me hard on their way out. I watched them go and laughed under my breath. Ignorance is a fine thing. They have no idea who I am. And they have no idea that, with a single word, I could not only throw every one of them out of school but also bankrupt the parents they are so proud of. 第1章 Three months ago, Mom arranged for me to enter this academy as a new senior. When I first arrived, the other students treated me normally enough. Then they saw me ride a bicycle to school. Then the way they looked at me changed. In the first week a few people still said hello now and then. In the second week nobody wanted to work with me in class. In the third week even students from the next classroom would take another route rather than pass me. Wherever I went, the students already there would clear out. They avoided me as though I carried a virus. I am not stupid. I could see what they meant by it. At first I still tried to talk to them. Nobody answered. Whatever I said, they acted as though I weren't there. Then at a school event I was pushed into the middle of a crowd and accidentally bumped into Venetia, captain of the cheer squad for the school football team. Her smile went stiff in an instant and she put a finger in my face. "Who do you think you are, touching me? Do you have any idea what these clothes cost? You could sell yourself and still not afford them!" That same day Miss Katherine moved my seat to the farthest corner of the room. "Audrey, if you aren't going to study, at least don't affect the others. It's quiet back there. That is where you will sit from now on." I argued, "I haven't disturbed anyone. I'm not moving." Miss Katherine frowned. "If you aren't happy with my decision, then don't attend my class at all." Miss Katherine taught a core subject, and missing her class would certainly affect my graduation. I had no choice but to move. After that, Venetia began intruding on my life more and more often. Somebody tripped me on the field, and Venetia stood not far off in her practice uniform, laughing to herself. Someone dumped a tray of food down my front in the cafeteria while Venetia sat at the opposite table, biting her straw and winking at me. There was even a venomous snake in my bag during class. It bit my hand. When I came back from the hospital, I found Venetia smiling as she poured water over the textbooks I had not had time to put away. I said nothing and sat back down in my seat. Venetia stopped in front of me and lifted my chin with her extra-long manicured nails. Her fingertip came to rest at the reddened corner of my eye. "Look at this poor little kitten. She's actually crying. "Wonder what she'll do next. Go to a teacher, or go home and tell those beggar parents of hers?" Her voice grew even brighter. "You really are a brave little girl. I do hope you stay brave." When she had finished, she let go. Her nails must have left marks all over my face. The girls behind Venetia all started laughing. But I grew calmer still. I wrote down their names one by one in my head. Venetia, Greta, Elowen... I would not go to a teacher, and I certainly would not go to my parents. Not because I was afraid of them. Because I wanted to see how far this pack of noble girls would take it. 第2章 The next day Miss Katherine came into the classroom. She put a necklace design up on the screen and smiled. "I have good news to announce today. "Venetia's design, the Heart of the Ocean, has won first place in the International Design Competition. Congratulations. "You should all learn from Venetia. She has real talent for design." The room broke into thunderous applause. Every student crowded around her, their congratulations and questions rising over one another. Only I stayed where I was, cold all through. "Miss, I drew that design." The Heart of the Ocean took me more than three hundred days and nights and countless hours watching the sea. It never occurred to me that Venetia's name would one day appear on it. The room went silent. Venetia snorted, "You? Have you ever seen the sea? Do you even know what it looks like? "Everything you're wearing put together isn't worth two dollars, and you dare try to steal my glory!" Miss Katherine said coolly, "Audrey, ambition is a good thing, but you cannot claim another student's honor as your own. "This is an international award. It is a serious matter. "I will record exactly what you said in class and give you a week of community service. You will stay after school today and cut the lawn." Everyone in the room turned a mocking look on me. I lowered my head and gave a bitter laugh at myself. I had almost forgotten. Students entering the competition had to hand their designs to a teacher, and mine had been in Miss Katherine's hands the whole time. Clearly, Miss Katherine had changed the name on my design to Venetia's. There was no point arguing any further. After class I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. On my way out, Venetia and several of the noble girls were blocking the door. Greta moved in and lifted my chin. "Trying to take Venetia's design. You've got some nerve." Elowen, who was closest to Venetia, took two steps forward. "Looks like we've been too polite. Girls, let's give Audrey something to remember." I watched them carefully. "What are you going to do?" Venetia leaned in the doorway with a nasty smile. "Don't worry. Nothing serious." Greta and Elowen took me by the arms and shoved me into the bathroom. "You can spend the day in there." The door was locked fast. No matter how I shouted, nobody opened it. Not until class was almost over did the door finally give way under my pounding. I straightened my clothes and walked out, and noticed Venetia talking to Isaac, the football captain, her face bright red. Isaac seemed thoroughly tired of her and left after a couple of sentences. Greta and Elowen, who had been hiding a little way off, came over to soothe her. Venetia turned a dark look on Elowen. "Elowen, why was Isaac talking to you this morning? Have you been throwing yourself at him?" Elowen waved her hands quickly. "No! You've given Isaac all sorts of things, haven't you? He was talking to me this morning because he wants to give you something. He asked what kind of lipstick you like. I think he likes you, he's just too shy." Venetia gave a little sniff. "Obviously. You had better have no interest in Isaac, or you'll end up where Audrey has." Only then did I understand. Venetia had not come after me because I bumped into her, or because I was poor, but because the football captain she liked had happened to glance at me once. It was ridiculous. I turned and left. As I entered the classroom someone put out a hand to stop me. "Hey. Miss Katherine wants you in her office." It was the first time Miss Katherine had ever asked to speak to me. 第3章 I went to Miss Katherine's office. To my surprise, Miss Katherine was not inside; she was waiting at the door. The moment she saw me, she came over quickly and pulled me into a corner. "Was it you who reported Venetia for stealing the work? "And you brought the competition director to our school?" I closed my hand around my phone. The moment I realized Miss Katherine would not help me, I had messaged the organizers of the design competition. They had been very efficient. I asked her, "Didn't you say the Heart of the Ocean was Venetia's design? "Even if I reported it, as long as the design really is hers, the only one who gets punished is me. So what are you worried about? "Or did you know from the beginning that it was mine?" That stopped her. She recovered quickly. Her voice sharpened, and a warning flashed in her eyes. "That design can only be Venetia's. "You cannot afford to cross her parents. One word from them and you disappear off the face of the earth. "Stop trying to get yourself killed. Go in there and tell the director that you falsely accused Venetia out of jealousy. "I will do what I can to bury this. You withdraw from the school as soon as possible and go as far away as you can." I pulled my arm out of her hand and smiled. "I know what to say now." Inside the office, the competition director looked me up and down before asking, "You're Audrey? You filed a report under your own name that Venetia, our first-place winner, plagiarized your design? "I am Hera, director of the International Design Competition. You say the Heart of the Ocean is your design. What evidence do you have?" Miss Katherine's eyes went to me at once, tense. I paid no attention to the look. I took out the flash drive I had ready and put it into the computer. My sketches came up on the screen one after another. Miss Katherine's expression changed sharply, and she lunged for the flash drive. Hera was not someone to be pushed around either. One look from her, and the two staff members behind her seized Miss Katherine by the arms and marched her outside. Hera went through my sketches and my design notes and nodded. "Audrey, I can confirm the Heart of the Ocean is your work. We are going to the principal's office now, and I will have the school answer for this." A flicker of warmth stirred in my chest. "Thank you." Hera took me to Headmistress Helena's office. At first, Helena assumed I had come with Hera and was very courteous to us both. Once Hera explained why we were there, Helena's face hardened. "This is an internal school matter. It does not require an investigation." Hera pushed my flash drive across the desk to her. "Audrey's evidence is conclusive. It proves that she is the designer of the Heart of the Ocean. "Both the organizers and the school failed here. We need to correct the credit immediately and take responsibility for the mistake." Helena flicked the drive aside. "Miss Hera, you're new to this industry, aren't you? For the sake of your own future, think a little before you act." Her tone was even, but the words carried a veiled threat. Then she turned to me. "Audrey, I remember now. You are in Venetia's class. "That child has excellent grades and a good character, and she is captain of the cheer squad. It is perfectly normal for you to be jealous of her. "Minor friction between students is nothing the school concerns itself with, but falsely accusing Venetia of plagiarism is a stain on your character. "Nothing is settled yet. Tell the director now that you made a false accusation and I will not hold you responsible." Hearing how plainly the headmistress had taken Venetia's side, Hera's face went cold. "What does any of this have to do with whether I am new? "The evidence is right here. All we need to do is..." Before Hera could finish, Helena threw the drive on the floor and crushed it under her heel. "What evidence? "All I see is an idle, badly behaved student who bought off a competition director in order to frame one of our finest. "Miss Hera, I will inform your company that you accepted a bribe. You can expect to be fired." Then she turned back to me. "Audrey, your jealousy has gone too far, and this school has no room for you. I will issue your expulsion notice as soon as possible." Hera flushed with anger at the sight of the crushed drive and started forward. "Are you insane? Do you have any idea what a piece of work means to its creator? "How can you rob a child of work she poured her heart and soul into?" For all Hera's agitation, Helena looked entirely unbothered. That composure clearly came from more than her own confidence. It came from the powerful backers behind her. But she did not know who I was. And she had no idea that, in my eyes, her backers were beneath notice. I took Hera's arm and shook my head at her. I signaled that everything was all right. Hera steadied herself and gave my hand a reassuring pat. "Audrey, don't worry. My superiors have always been fair. They will not let Venetia get away with this." Before I could answer, Helena laughed coldly. "Audrey, you have no idea who you have offended. "Venetia's parents have businesses all over the world. Even this school's board defers to them." Before I could speak, Hera leaped to my defense. "Audrey, don't be afraid. My superiors have backing of their own. They don't bow easily. "Headmistress Helena, have you looked closely at our funders? "The first of them is Prince Lucas's company. However powerful Venetia's parents may be, can they take on Prince Lucas?" 第4章 Helena hurried to her computer and searched for the company. When she confirmed that the company really did belong to Prince Lucas, her face fell, and she muttered, "What am I supposed to do now?" No wonder she looked like that. Prince Lucas was famous for doing exactly as he pleased. Venetia's parents appeared to be ordinary businesspeople, but they had organized crime behind them and were no easier to deal with. A mere headmistress like her could not afford to offend either side. Hera brought her hand down hard on the desk. "Issue a statement right now. Venetia stole Audrey's work, and the credit for the Heart of the Ocean goes back to Audrey." Helena frowned and could not decide. The office door was kicked open. Ten fully armed bodyguards marched in and formed two lines. Venetia came in leading a lavishly dressed middle-aged couple. The moment Helena recognized them, every trace of hesitation left her face. She jumped up to greet them and plastered on a smile. "Mr. Williams, Mrs. Williams, a phone call would have been enough. You should never have had to come in person." Mr. Williams said nothing. Betty took off her sunglasses and snorted, "If I hadn't come, who knows what you people would do to my precious daughter!" Venetia pointed at me and curled her lip. "Daddy, Mommy, this peasant is the one who accused me." Mr. Williams did not so much as look at me. His sharp gaze came down on Helena. "I have already heard the whole thing from Venetia. "This has done considerable damage to my daughter's mental health, and the school will answer for it. "The student who falsely accused her is to be expelled, and no school in this country is to admit her." Before she could stop herself, Hera shot back, "Your daughter stole first. Audrey is the victim here! "What gives you the right to bully an innocent student?" Betty sat down on the sofa and said airily, "My family is the largest shareholder in this academy, and my family's company is the largest financial firm in the country. "My daughter Venetia was born to enjoy her life. Anyone or anything that makes her unhappy has to disappear." Hera balled her fists and put herself in front of me. "We have ample proof that your daughter stole it! Having more money does not make you right!" Betty's face filled with contempt. "How naive. "What use is proof? In this world, only a handful of people get to decide what counts as truth." Venetia hung on her father's arm and wheedled, "Daddy, this peasant runs me down behind my back all the time. I don't want to hear her speak again." Betty raised her eyebrows. "Since Headmistress Helena cannot bring herself to do what must be done, we will handle the student ourselves. "Whatever happens to Audrey today, it will be her own carelessness. Understood?" Helena kept her head down and did not dare speak. One look from Mr. Williams, and the bodyguards rushed forward to seize me. Hera shielded me with everything she had and was no match for them. Just as they were about to get hold of me, dozens of mercenaries came through the door. A deep voice rang out. "Who gave you the nerve to lay hands on the Princess of Salomir?"