A SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

– Brother Collin, you are the best. Let’s go visit sister first. I’m a little worried about her

Ines said softly. Holding Collin’s arm, she walked over to Lyana.

– sister, when you burned down the school building back then, the principal was furious. He wouldn’t let you walk around campus. Without our last name, he probably wouldn’t have made an exception for you to come today.

She continued,

– The director doesn’t visit the university often, but he will be here today. Brother Collin will intercede for you. Maybe the director won’t be angry anymore. It might even get you back to school.

Nearby classmates clearly heard Ines’ words.

– I’m so jealous that Senior Collin can meet the director. I have been studying here for so long, but I have never even seen the principal once. I heard that the manager is very busy every day!

– Yes yes. I heard that too. At the time, when the school building was set on fire, many netizens questioned the school’s role in the incident. If the principal hadn’t taken matters into his own hands at this critical moment, and if he hadn’t thrown his weight behind the school, we would have lost this battle.

– I heard that the headmaster is now concentrating on his mathematical research, so he rarely makes an appearance here. How can Lyana still have the courage to show up? What if she angers the principal?

– Exactly, exactly. We must protest Lyana Dubois’ enrollment at An University!

– You are right. We have to stand up to Lyana Dubois.

…

One by one, the surrounding students participated. They really liked and respected the director. For them, the principal was like a god to be worshipped.

Listening to the other students, Collin looked at Lyana. The disgust in his eyes intensified.

Lyana turned to Ines and said expressionlessly,

– Can you stop polluting the air around me?

Ines:

– ???

At this moment, the assistant director, looked at them. He started walking.

Collin saw the assistant and thought the director was looking for him. He straightened his clothes and smiled warmly.

When he came, Collin took a step forward and politely extended his hand.

Assistant gave Collin a strange look. Without shaking her hand, he passed and walked towards Lyana. With a serious expression, he said,

– Miss Dubois, you’re finally here. The manager specifically asked me to pick you up.

Ines looked at the assistant in disbelief. She had never expected the headmaster to ask his assistant to get up. She smiles.

– Alright, let’s go now.

Lyana looked at Ines in confusion. She had an appointment with the director. Could it be that Ines has also made an appointment with the director?

The assistant turned to look at Ines, and the smile on her face instantly disappeared. He asked without expression,

– Who are you exactly?

Ines still hasn’t realized anything weird in the whole affair. She said innocently,

– I am Ines Dubois.

– My apologies, the director wishes to invite Miss Lyana Dubois.

The assistant smiled ingratitude at Lyana.

– Miss Dubois, let’s go!

When the assistant and Lyana left, Collin and Ines felt slapped in the face. They were so embarrassed that they wanted to find a hole to hide.

Of course, the surrounding classmates watching the show were also amazed. They had never expected the headmaster and assistant to treat Lyana with such respect.

Didn’t the principal hate Lyana?

Didn’t the principal forbid Lyana from coming to school?

Why was the assistant director so respectful to her?

Alice, who was standing nearby, paled. She turned to Ines. So she had lied to him!

However, when Alice saw Ines’ confused expression, she hesitated. She walked over to her and asked in a low voice,

– What is the relationship between Lyana and the principal?

– I don’t know.

Ines honestly shook her head. Suddenly she remembered Lyana saying that she had received her doctorate.

Oh my God!

Lyana couldn’t really have gotten a doctorate, could she?

How… How was that possible?

Ines gasped in shock. A layer of cold sweat formed on his palms.

Collin watched the assistant and Lyana leave. His forehead sank deeply. He pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

Ines, who was standing next to Collin, carefully tugged at his sleeve. She said softly,

– Collin, let’s go to the conference room!

He remembered how embarrassed he was earlier and longed to find a place to hide. He accepted easily.

– Alright, let’s go!

After Colli’ and Ines left, the other students followed suit.

Alice was livid. She followed Collin and Ines, determined to find an opportunity to embarrass Lyana.

Although he had just embarrassed himself, many of his classmates still wanted to get into his good books. They wanted to join the perrot family business in the future.

A classmate came forward with a smile and said gratefully

– Senior Collin, for five years everyone knows that you take good care of Lyana Dubois. She loves you too. I guess the director is looking for her this time because of you. Maybe he wanted to give Lyana a warning in advance, so he asked her to go to the principal’s office alone.

As soon as she said that, onlookers immediately nodded in agreement.

– It’s true, that must be it. The director and his assistant must be afraid that Lyana’s mental illness will resurface. That’s why they are so polite to her!

– Certainly. The Principal must treat Lyana so gently on the Senior Collin’s account. Senior Collin, do you want to clarify your relationship with Lyana? Otherwise, the principal may misunderstand you.

…

Collin was momentarily stunned.

It was true.

The director must have treated Lyana so gently because of him. He must have called Lyana at the principal’s office to warn her.

The director didn’t ask his assistant to call Collin into his office because he thought he was preparing his speech.

It seemed like he should take the initiative to tell the principal about it, lest there be a misunderstanding.

Ines’ tense shoulders gradually relax. Only then did she realize she had been wrong.

It was true Lyana didn’t go to school. How could she have gotten a doctorate?

It was even more impossible for him to have anything to do with the headmaster.

Ines heaved a sigh of relief. She didn’t want Lyana to climb on top of her.

When everyone arrived backstage, they saw that the assistant director had arranged for Lyana to sit in the middle of the front row.

Everyone was amazed.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

What was happening?

The seat in the middle had always been reserved for the principal. Lyana actually had the courage to sit in the director’s seat without hesitation.

Today she wore a white shirt and jeans. Her hair was tied high in a bun behind her head, and a few stray hairs fell on either side of her face. She looked like a student.

She was already eye-catching to begin with. Once seated in the middle, she caught everyone’s attention.

The second-row seats were filled with famous teachers and formidable top students of An University. All of them were considered gifted and favored by heaven.

And Lyana stuck out like a sore thumb.

As the representative of outstanding graduates that year, Collin sat in third place. He looked at Lyana, his expression darkening.

She was sitting in the front row today. She was just looking for trouble!

Collin didn’t want to interfere in this case. However, he thought the director might have misunderstood that he had a special relationship with Lyana. What if the director got angry and took it away?

Ines, who was standing next to Collin, also felt embarrassed. She felt that Lyana had really shamed the whole Dubois family.

She thought for a moment, then shouted to Lyana,

– Lyana Dubois!

When Lyana heard Ines’ voice, she didn’t even bother to give her a look out of kindness.

Ines had no choice but to raise her voice.

– Sister, you are sitting in the wrong seat. Except for outstanding graduates, everyone who comes to the banquet brings their own stools.