Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 72

"Lucian, you have to win!"

Her eyes sparkled with adoration as she clung tightly to both of his hands.

Seeing Joanne acting so coy and coquettish reminded Amber of her past life, when she had cheered for him in the exact same pathetic way.

Back then, she had been a competitor too, but she’d somehow forgotten that she could also place and boost her own academic record. She had been so deeply brainwashed into servitude by Grace that she had willingly handed over her bright future—only to be murdered by the very man she propped up.

Tillie Taylor and Vance Leavitt arrived. While they didn't mimic Joanne's obnoxious whining, their enthusiasm was off the charts. "Come on, Amber! You've got this!"

Amber's eardrums practically vibrated.

Vance was a true friend. He had rallied all his basketball buddies to come support her. If they were wearing skirts, they’d have made an incredible cheerleading squad.

"Could you guys be a little more low-key?"

Amber shot him a glare.

Vance waved a pair of pom-poms he’d somehow acquired. "No can do. Real talent shouldn't hide. You're going to take the championship, Amber!"

His eyes were entirely serious. She had no idea where his absolute confidence came from, but he truly believed in her.

Tillie nodded vigorously, urging Amber to believe in herself.

Joanne hated listening to them. She scoffed, her voice dripping with acid, "Vance, Tillie, I suggest you don't put so much pressure on Amber."

She had also gathered a bunch of classmates to cheer for Lucian. One of them chimed in, "Yeah, the class president is ranked first in the entire grade. Whether it's the Physics Olympiad, Math, or English, he always wins. This year will be no different."

"Amber, we're all in the same class, but honestly, it's a little pathetic watching you try to compete with the president. You're ranked tenth. Sure, you're on the leaderboard, but there's a massive gap between first and tenth."

"Amber, why don't you just forfeit?"

As the classmates threw out their unhelpful advice, Vance's friends bristled. "Don't be so sure! Lucian wins every year, but Amber's always right on his heels in second place. Who's to say she won't take the crown this year?"

"Exactly. Even champions stumble. If you ask us, Amber's got this in the bag."

With that, their cheering reached a fever pitch. "Amber, champion! Amber, champion!"

Joanne's face turned completely green with rage.

Lucian didn't care about the noise. His eyes were cold, his expression arrogant. "If you drop to your knees right now and admit you were wrong, and promise to keep cleaning up and bringing food for Joanne and me, I might just find it in my heart to forgive you."

Amber scoffed. "Still dreaming, Lucian? Stop setting yourself up. Just try not to lose your mind when you get crushed today."

"You really won't give up until you're staring down the barrel of a gun, will you?" Lucian mocked.

"You're the one who won't admit defeat until the nails are in the coffin."

"I won't lose this battle, Lucian."

"Instead of talking big, you better think about how you're going to explain losing to your mother. Fifty grand is a lot of money."

"Mr. Madison, the private investigator reported that Ms. Newman is participating in the city's Physics Olympiad today."

Sharif paused. "And what does that have to do with figuring out who's backing her?"

Julian: "..."

"I told you to have the PI monitor her for suspicious activities and contacts. She's ranked tenth in her grade; isn't it perfectly normal for her to compete in an Olympiad? Or do you think I have so much free time that I should go watch a high school competition?"

Julian: "..."

No, Mr. Madison, he just figured that since Sharif went out of his way to drive her and let her sleep on his lap until she woke up naturally, he might actually be interested in her competition.

After all, it was a chance to gauge her real capabilities.

But Julian didn't dare say that. He simply added, "Ms. Newman and her rumored boyfriend, Lucian Juarez, have fought their way into the sudden-death round. I was shocked when I saw the report. This is the first time it’s ever happened in the city's history."

"Mr. Madison, didn't you suspect she was distracted by high school romance? If she is, how did she end up battling him to the death in an academic competition?"

Sharif’s hand stalled, the coffee cup hovering in mid-air. Julian continued, "I think this competition is a perfect opportunity to see what Ms. Newman is truly capable of. Don't you agree?"

A complex, unpredictable light sparked in Sharif's dark, fathomless eyes. "Pick me up in fifteen minutes."

It really was an opportunity.

—If someone was truly backing her, and securing his sponsorship had been their end goal, why fight so viciously in a school competition? Was it really necessary?