Chapter 83

Barton’s face soured in an instant.

Suzan looked utterly disbelieving, while Kathryn, at the center, wore a dazed expression that quickly turned into insistent questioning.

Her voice quivering, she bit her lip and asked, “Excuse me, who did you just say?”

The admissions officer from Emerald University, a bit perplexed by the family’s expressions, repeated politely. Winnie Henderson. Aren’t you Ms. Henderson?

Hearing the name again, Kathryn’s cheeks twitched slightly, and the once gentle demeanor took on a hint of ferocity.

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing and, with clenched teeth, snatched the acceptance letter from the Capital University representative holding it.

Upon unfolding it, there it was, the name “Winnie Henderson” penned in ink.

Suzan, on the sidelines, couldn’t hold back a scream, “How can it be Winnie? Is there some mistake?!”

Kathryn stared at the name on the acceptance letter until her eyes reddened, her grip tightening to the point of nearly tearing the document.

The admissions officer started to piece together the situation. Had they mistaken the person?

The Capital University representative quickly stepped forward, rescuing the acceptance letter from Kathryn’s grasp, anxious that this student might ruin the carefully crafted document intended for the top exam scorer.

“Indeed, the top examinee this year is Ms. Henderson, and her score was just one point shy of the national top scorer. We specifically came here to find Ms. Henderson,” explained the representative from Emerald University, then added “This is Ms. Henderson’s residence, correct?”

They had followed the address provided by the school, and since they had into the Capital University admissions team, the address seemed correct. Yet, the family’s’reaction was decidedly off.

Just then, the housekeeper received another call from the gatekeeper, approaching cautiously and saying, “Mr. Henderson, there’s someone from Silverpine University at the gate, looking for Ms. Henderson.”

This time, the housekeeper made sure to use her name, remembering how she had reflexively referred to her as ‘the young lady‘ on the phone earlier.

But that ‘young lady‘ had already been sent packing.

The admissions officers from Capital University and Emerald University exchanged bewildered glances Yet another one? But the Hendersons were far from pleased, even verging on hysteria.

Another one? And also looking for Winnie?

Hadn’t their daughter Kathryn been promised the title of top examinee?

At that moment, Kathryn felt a surge of humiliation and rage. All the shame was brought on by Winnie!

Why? Why wouldn’t Winnie leave her be when she was already so pitiful?!

Barton, still clinging to a shred of sanity despite wanting to explode, managed to answer with a grimace, “She has moved out.”

Both sets of admissions officers exchanged glances once more before asking. “Could your inform where Ms. Henderson has moved to?”

“How should we know?! That girl has nothing to do with us anymore! Can’t you people find out on your own?!” Suzan’s voice was shrill, causing the admissions officers to bristle.

They had been recruiting for years, and never had a family received them with anything but joy.

This was a first!

Realizing they wouldn’t get any information here, they promptly made their exit.

With the exam results not yet officially released, they needed to find Winnie herself–and fast.

As the admissions officers hurried away with their materials, they left the Hendersons standing there, faces clouded with dark expressions, Outside the Hendersons‘ mansion, both Capital University and Emerald University representatives were still uneasy, but now there was a bigger problem at hand. It was the first time in their careers they’d encountered such a predicament.

Winnie’s home address led nowhere, and her cell phone was unreachable. What in the world could they do?

As they mulled over their options, they noticed two admissions officers from Silverpine University rushing toward them–a familiar sight.

The Silverpine University reps, seeing their counterparts from Capital and Emerald emerging from the Hendersons‘, looked alarmed.

They had been delayed by two unforeseen traffic accidents on the way and were late.

The Capital University representative had not even had the courtesy to inform them, despite all of them being from the same city!

The Silverpine University officers hastened their pace, beads of sweat on their foreheads, and one of them, looking desperate and anxious, confronted the Capital University rep, “Have your already finished negotiating? Which of you did Winnie agree to 12:36 Without waiting for an answer, he stomped his foot in frustration, “I mean, really, that’s not. sportsmanlike! Ever heard of fair competition?!”

Their headmaster had specifically asked them to woo Ms. Henderson to Silverpine University.

And now, it seemed they were too late.

The Silverpine representative looked utterly crestfallen, while the Capital University officer rolled his eyes.

“Relax, we didn’t even meet her. We’re about to head back ourselves.”

“Seriously… what?”

The admissions officer from Silverpine University was on the verge of throwing another fit when the perplexing news reached his ears.

“What do you mean, ‘not there“? Ms. Henderson isn’t home?

Beside him, a recruiter from Emerald University chimed in, The family said Ms. Henderson moved out, but her family’s tight–lipped about where she’s gone.”

The Silverpine rep furrowed his brow in irritation. “What’s all this about? You all aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”

Hearing this, the representative from Capital University couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

As they were hashing it out, suddenly someone tapped them on the shoulder and said, “Gentlemen, if you’re looking for Winnie, I might have a clue about her whereabouts.”

The group turned in unison to see a middle–aged man, dressed like a security guard, standing beside them. Noticing their attention, he leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper “I’m the security guard for this neighborhood. The Winnie you’re looking for, she’s not biologically related to that household. Got kicked out just a few days ago.”

The admissions officers were astounded to hear that such an amazing student had been booted from her home. What was the Henderson family thinking? To kick out a genius?

“Do you have any idea where she might be now?” one of them asked.

“Well, I don’t have her exact address,” the guard confessed. “But word has it the kid tracked down her biological parents. You know, the Bright Group in town? That’s the Bryant family. Check the official Twitter account for more info.”

The recruiters were baffled. What? Go to Twitter for an address?

They had never encountered such a convoluted admissions process.

Both representatives from Capital University and Silverpine University were at a loss for words. However, the recruiter from Emerald University slapped his thigh in a sudden realization.

89 “The Bright Group? I’m well acquainted with them! They’ve donated a whole building to our campus!”

With a wave of his hand and a burst of enthusiasm, he declared, “I know where the Bryant family lives. Follow me, folks!”