Mr. Devon had recently left for academic research, and Ashley still had many questions she wanted to ask the visiting professor. Her dorm was a single-occupancy room, but unlike Arthur, who had his own private courtyard, she shared a dorm building with other students. In a place where every square foot was precious, the fact that students at Skyward Academy University could have private courtyards was almost unheard of. Only a top-tier institution like that could afford such luxury. As soon as Ashley stepped out of her dorm, she ran into a tall, stunning woman. The girl was decked out in high-end designer brands, her entire presence radiating wealth. Around her were several other girls, all slightly less striking, yet fawning over her like she was royalty. Ashley had no intention of wasting time here. She turned slightly to walk past them. But just as she moved, the girl suddenly reached out and blocked her path. Lindsay looked down at her, eyes filled with disdain. "What, you’re just going to walk past me without saying hello?" Ashley almost laughed in disbelief. "You expect me to greet you just for walking by? Who do you think you are? The president?" Her sharp words hit Lindsay like a slap. Her chest rose and fell violently as she pointed a trembling finger at Ashley. "You! You’ve got some nerve!" The girls around Lindsay immediately erupted in outrage. One of them sneered, "Aren’t you embarrassed to be acting so arrogant, considering you only got into Skyward because of a man? You think you have the right to talk back to Ms. Lindsay? Know your place!" "Exactly! Let’s be real—if it weren’t for Arthur, do you really think you’d be here? And getting special admission from Mr. Devon? Please. What a joke!" "A washed-up politician’s daughter dares to talk back to Ms. Lindsay? Do you really think she won’t do something about it?" "Tch. She acts like she’s Arthur’s fiancée, but let’s be real, Arthur’s way out of her league. He probably doesn’t even acknowledge her. She’s just some desperate, pathetic girl clinging to a fantasy."Their voices were loud, as if they were purposefully trying to draw attention. Sure enough, passersby started to gather, whispering among themselves. "I heard Ashley only got accepted because she’s Arthur’s fiancée and Mr. Devon took her in because of that." "Yeah, and I heard Mr. Devon actually wanted to take Arthur as a student, but since Arthur chose Skyward Academy, he settled for Ashley instead." "So she really did get in because of a man, huh?" "Seriously, we all worked so hard to get into this school, and she just walks in through connections? How is that fair?" "Right! We spent years studying and struggling, and she just waltzes in thanks to Arthur!" "But she did score third place in the national exams. That’s already an amazing score, even by Skyward’s standards." "Whose side are you on? Don’t make excuses for her!" "Besides, there are students who scored even higher than her, and Mr. Devon never personally recruited them. So why her?" "Exactly. There are better students here, yet she’s the only one Mr. Devon made an exception for. How is that fair?" "This just proves it—she got in through connections." This kind of gossip had followed Ashley from the very first day she entered Skyward Academy. Every single word was meant to tear her down. For months, she had forced herself to ignore them, throwing herself into her studies instead. But whenever these people spoke so brazenly, right in front of her, Ashley could barely contain her anger. She swept her gaze over the ringleaders, then suddenly slammed her book against the nearby railing with a loud thud. The sharp sound silenced the crowd. Ashley glared at them. "Are you all that bored with your lives? Are you Lindsay’s lapdogs? Is that why you’re barking for her approval? Do you not have your own lives, your own studies? Or is your entire purpose just to follow Lindsay around like obedient little mutts?"Her words hit like a whip, making the girls around Lindsay go pale. The murmuring of the crowd only grew louder. Ashley turned her gaze on them next. "You all have so much to say—why don’t you say it in front of Mr. Devon?" Her voice was cold, cutting. You’re basically accusing him of favoritism, that he accepted me just because of Arthur. If I were truly useless, do you think he would’ve taken me in? Do you really believe Mr. Devon is that kind of person?"