Three Systems Made the Fake Heiress Unstoppable

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Wanting to Know Which University She’ll Attend

After Chloe finished speaking, the admiration on Stella Winters’s face was genuine. She hadn’t expected Chloe to have thought of all that.

”Chloe, you’re amazing! You figured out what Brooke York is thinking and even what she might be planning?”

”Mhm. It’s not that hard to guess. Why would you believe someone who resents you that much would suddenly want to make peace? Especially when nothing has happened—you haven’t helped her or done anything to change her opinion of you. It’s obviously impossible.”

Stella Winters found herself admiring Chloe more and more. The Chloe of today was getting smarter and smarter—so smart it was almost terrifying!

After morning classes that day, Stella Winters was feeling sleepy from eating too many snacks, so she didn’t go with Chloe to the cafeteria. Chloe ended up going alone.

After lunch in the cafeteria, Chloe headed back to the classroom. In her past life, she used to read while she ate, but she’d since realized that wasn’t a good habit.

So this time, she finished her meal before heading back to read.

She just didn’t expect to run into Ethan Prescott on her way back, who was clearly there looking for her.

’Come to think of it, Ethan Prescott hasn’t bothered me for a while. I’d almost forgotten about him.’

”Chloe, the college entrance exams are in a couple of days. Good luck!” Ethan Prescott had also been studying hard lately. With the exams right around the corner, he had sought Chloe out specifically to wish her well.

”You too,” Chloe replied dismissively and headed for her classroom.

’As if saying ’good luck’ actually does anything. It all comes down to skill. Without any real ability, all the well wishes in the world are useless. It’s like pouring fuel into an engine that doesn’t work—it just becomes waste.’

Not expecting Chloe to respond at all, Ethan Prescott broke into a foolish, giddy grin.

”Chloe, what university are you hoping to get into?” Ethan immediately fell into step beside her, asking the question he’d been dying to ask.

”I’ll decide after the scores come out.”

Ethan quickly pressed, ”Then what did you put for your first and second choices?”

Chloe’s brow furrowed. She stopped and turned to look at Ethan.

Ethan stopped too, his smile freezing on his face. In his excitement, it seemed he had asked a little too much.

”Chloe, I didn’t—I mean, I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just asking. No other reason!” The more Ethan spoke, the more flustered he became, until he hardly knew what he was saying himself.

”Fine, I get it. I’m going to my classroom now, and I believe yours isn’t this way,” Chloe said, stopping to remind him.

Ethan realized she was right. He had followed her in the complete opposite direction of his own classroom.

He was filled with regret. Why had he chosen a classroom on the opposite side of the school just to get away from her back then?

”Chloe, once you decide on a university... can you tell me?” Ethan asked, his voice full of hope. If she told him, it would mean she was starting to accept him, that she didn’t push him away like before.

”We’ll see,” Chloe said before quickening her pace and walking away.

Ethan watched Chloe enter her classroom, lost in thought.

But their exchange had been witnessed by Brooke York. She glared resentfully in the direction of the classroom door.

’Chloe York, you think you’re going to sail through the college entrance exams? I’ll make sure you never even get to take them. I won’t let you outshine me.’

Just as Ethan turned to head back to his own class, he came face-to-face with Brooke York. He didn’t miss the resentful look in her eyes.

’She’s planning to go after Chloe?’ That was Ethan’s first thought.

He started walking toward Brooke. She hadn’t had time to retract her hateful glare before their eyes met. A wave of panic washed over her, and her surprise grew as he walked directly up to her.

She subconsciously assumed he hadn’t noticed and that he was coming over to talk to her.

She quickly put on what she believed was a sweet smile. ”Ethan.”

”Brooke York, don’t even think about pulling any tricks,” Ethan said, his tone a clear warning.

’After all, this is what Brooke used to be like, going after Chloe time and time again. It was only because Chloe was smart enough to prove her own innocence that she got through it.’

Brooke’s smile froze on her face. ’So he did see the look in my eyes.’

Panic churned inside her, but Brooke kept her expression calm, pretending not to understand him. ”Ethan, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

”Do you really not understand, or are you just pretending?”

”I really don’t understand, Ethan. I’ve been studying so hard lately. The college entrance exams are right around the corner, aren’t they? I haven’t been ’pulling any tricks’ like you said. How can you accuse me like that?” By the end, her voice was laced with an aggrieved tone.

Watching Brooke put on her pitiful act, Ethan recalled how easily he used to be fooled by this same expression. Back then, Chloe had always seemed unreasonable and shrewish in his presence, so he had believed Brooke’s words and thought Chloe was bullying her.

But the Ethan of today wasn’t falling for it. Seeing her play dumb, he had no intention of standing here and playing along with her act.

He was about to walk away when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down and saw that Brooke was grabbing his shirt.

”Let go,” Ethan said, his voice cold.

”Ethan, why are you treating me like this? I’m the one who should be your fiancée!” Brooke couldn’t stop herself from blurting it out.

If she and Chloe hadn’t been switched at birth, they would be a couple right now.

”Chloe and I grew up together, and her name is on the marriage contract. The fact that you were supposed to be my fiancée just proves that while we may have been fated to meet, we weren’t meant to be. If we were, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.” Ethan’s words filled Brooke’s eyes with hurt and indignation.

’In the beginning, he clearly wanted to be with me. Why did things turn out this way?’

But she knew she couldn’t show too much resentment now. It would be bad for her plans.

”Even if we can’t be engaged, can’t we at least be friends?”

Hearing this, Ethan hesitated. He had wondered if he was being too cruel to Brooke.

’But a relationship between us is impossible now. If I want to be with Chloe, I have to keep my distance from other girls—especially Brooke.’

”Let’s just forget about being friends. We can just be classmates. That’s fine.”

With that, Ethan pulled his shirt from Brooke’s grasp and turned to leave without a second thought.

Brooke watched him walk away and let out a short laugh. ”Ethan Prescott, did you really think I was interested in you? I was only ever interested in your family’s background.”

’I’ve never truly liked anyone; I only ever consider a person’s value to me.’

’It was Ethan who had given me hope in the beginning, letting me believe I could board the convenient ship that was his social standing. I never imagined he would be the one to throw me overboard.’

’Fine. In that case, I’ll be the one steering the ship. I’ll make everyone on board see just how formidable I can be.’