As soon as Veyo Solutions‘ opening ceremony concluded, Nancy hurried over to meet Carlos. She wanted to speak with him about the possibility of opening up an additional pot for her to become his student.
Moreover, she had taken the initiative to come to Faye Technologies‘ building.
Faye Technologies was also hosting a grand event that day. With people constantly flowing in and out, Nancy anticipated being greeted by several acquaintances, and to her dismay, Ariel was present as well.
Nancy felt deeply annoyed at being forced to come. Still, sh masked her emotions behind a calm demeanor. Glancing around, she addressed him politely. “Hello, Mr. Carlos. I’m sorry for taking up some of your time like this today. I have a few questions I hope you can help me with.”
Carlos fixed her with a piercing gaze. “You want to ask about the student I selected, don’t you?”
Nancy straightened her posture and nodded. “I heard you’ve chosen a candidate. May I ask who it is?”
“It’s Ariel,” he replied curtly. Yet despite his brevity, his authoritative tone made the words echo in her mind.
Carlos could already tell what was going through Nancy’s head, and he saw no reason to drag things out.
Nancy was stunned. What she had assumed to be a rumor had just been confirmed. She nearly lost her composure.
If Carlos had said he picked the top scorer in the final exam, she wouldn’t have been this shocked. But Ariel?
Nancy believed that Ariel had secured the spot purely through her connections and influence. She hadn’t even cared enough to check Ariel’s exam results–because if they were worth bragging about, Ariel would have flaunted them by now.
Jayson glanced at Ariel’s expressionless face. She looked like a bystander, neither speaking nor reacting to Carlos and Nancy’s exchange. She simply lowered her gaze, checked her watch, and seemed disinterested in wasting time.
Nancy noticed, and her gaze hardened. It appeared to her that Ariel was putting on airs because Carlos was around.
Nancy quickly gathered her thoughts. “Mr. Carlos, I’ve been working toward becoming your student ever since returning from abroad. I believe my score places me among the top candidates in the final exam. May I ask… why didn’t you choose me? Why Ariel?”
If she were being honest, Nancy wanted to demand to know how someone like Ariel could possibly deserve the opportunity to become his student. Was it because Chad liked her?
Carlos‘ gaze locked on Nancy, studying her in silence.
“Ms. Stanton,” he said bluntly, “did you come here today because you’re dissatisfied with my decision?”
His straightforwardness was disarming.
Nancy pursed her lips. She could feel her throat constricting slightly.
Carlos then glanced at Jayson, who had remained silent throughout. A flicker of annoyance passed through his eyes. He knew this meeting had been arranged to give Nancy a chance to plead her case.
Eventually, Carlos responded flatly, “You want a reason? Fine. I chose the cream of the crop. Perhaps you should approach this with a little more humility.”
Nancy froze. The implication hit her hard. She couldn’t believe that she was being compared to Ariel like that.
The cream of the crop… He meant Ariel?
1/2
Chapter 340
+25 BONUS
For a moment, Nancy questioned whether she had misunderstood the meaning of that phrase her whole life.
She knew lecturers often considered more than just grades Exam results weren’t always the deciding factor. But Ariel–the cream of the crop?
“I’m not trying to change your mind. Of course, you have every right to make your own decisions,” Nancy replied, trying to regain her composure.
“It’s my life’s ambition to contribute to our nation’s tech sector. That’s why I was hoping you’d consider taking on one additional student this time. If you do, I promise not to let you down. No one will question your decision to make an exception for me.”
In truth, Nancy believed there would be public scrutiny if Carlos only chose Ariel, someone who knew next to nothing about aerospace engineering. Even though she had plenty of suspicions about how Ariel had gotten the spot, Nancy knew better than to voice them outright.
If Ariel had been selected simply due to Chad’s influence, it would be unwise to provoke Carlos now, especially when she was trying to earn a second chance.
Once she secured her place, Nancy was determined to prove that her capabilities and intellect far outshone Ariel’s.
Ariel understood what Nancy truly meant behind her words. It was clear–Nancy had no intention of acknowledging her, let alone speaking to her.
Carlos clasped his hands behind his back and met Nancy’s eyes with a steely intensity. He refused to waste a second longer and responded straightforwardly. “I’ll be clear. That spot was always meant for Ariel. I never considered anyone else.”
2/2
