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Novel Catalog
Chapter_39
Sharon’s hand trembled as she answered the phone, her face turning pale. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for something to anchor her as the tension in the air grew thick. The students in the auditorium stood frozen, their breaths held in anticipation, the chaos from before now stilled in a heavy silence.
“Hello?” Sharon’s voice faltered as she spoke into the phone. Her eyes widened as she listened, her body stiffening in fear. A moment passed before she spoke again, her voice shaky but loud enough for everyone to hear. “No… no, this can’t be possible.”
The students exchanged nervous glances, their suspicions mounting. What was happening on the other end of that call? Why did Sharon look so terrified?
From the corner of her eye, Sharon caught Simon’s piercing gaze. His cool, calculating expression seemed to say it all—he knew what was happening. And worse, he had been the one to set the gears in motion.
As the seconds stretched on, Sharon’s grip on her phone tightened. She could hear the faint voice on the other end, but it was only a matter of time before the inevitable arrived.
“Sharon, what is it?” Winona asked in a whisper, her voice filled with concern that didn’t quite match the situation.
But Sharon didn’t answer. She simply pressed the phone to her ear more firmly, her lips trembling as the reality of what was unfolding began to sink in.
The phone call ended abruptly, and Sharon slowly lowered it from her ear, her eyes wide with disbelief. She looked at Simon, her fear now apparent for everyone to see.
Simon, standing across the room, remained impassive, his gaze never leaving her.
After a long pause, Sharon finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, as though she were speaking the words out of sheer disbelief. “The Sullivan family… they’re… they’re being audited. Everything is frozen… the accounts, the assets… We’re done. It’s over.”
The revelation hit the room like a thunderclap. A collective gasp echoed throughout the auditorium, as the weight of Sharon’s words settled over everyone. The Sullivan family, one of the most powerful families in Seacrity, was suddenly facing financial ruin.
Sharon’s face turned ashen as she clutched the phone in her hand, her mind racing. It was clear now—Jeremiah hadn’t been boasting. He had made good on his words, and now, the once-mighty Sullivan family was on the brink of collapse.
Patrick, who had been standing quietly off to the side, looked absolutely stunned. His earlier attempt to belittle Yvette and undermine her had backfired spectacularly. It was clear to everyone in the room that what had just happened wasn’t some coincidence. Sharon had been caught in a web much bigger than she had anticipated.
Simon broke the silence with a soft but firm voice. “Apologize, Sharon. It’s the least you can do after everything.” His gaze never wavered from hers, his presence commanding the room.
The pressure in the room was suffocating. Sharon’s pride and arrogance, the very things that had fueled her defiance, crumbled in that instant. She could no longer stand tall. Her shoulders sagged, and her head dropped in defeat.
Sharon’s apology came out in a strained, defeated tone. “I… I’m sorry, Yvette,” she muttered, barely meeting her gaze.
Yvette, who had remained composed throughout, didn’t flinch at Sharon’s apology. She simply nodded once, acknowledging it with a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
With that, the tension in the room began to ease. The students of Argrol University, who had witnessed the entire spectacle, now whispered amongst themselves, their admiration for Yvette growing. Not only had she triumphed in the competition, but she had also managed to bring down one of the most powerful families in Seacrity, with the quiet support of her friends.
As Sharon slunk away in shame, the atmosphere shifted. What had started as a rivalry had now turned into a public lesson in power, influence, and the consequences of underestimating others.
Jeremiah, standing silently beside Yvette, glanced at her with approval. “You handled that well,” he murmured.
Yvette didn’t respond immediately, her gaze lingering on the door where Sharon had left. “Sometimes, people need to be reminded that power isn’t just about wealth or connections. It’s about knowing when to stand your ground.”
Andrew, who had been watching the scene unfold with an amused smirk, chuckled. “Well said. And with that, I think it’s time for those steaks, right?”
Yvette’s lips curled into a smile, her mood lightened by the sudden shift in the room. “Right. Let’s go,” she agreed, finally stepping away from the tense atmosphere and toward the door.
As she and her friends left the auditorium, a sense of triumph hung in the air. The students of Argrol University would remember this day for a long time—not just for the competition, but for the powerful lesson in standing up for oneself and the consequences of crossing the wrong people.
