"Speak up! What do you want?"
"What do I want? Maya, you boldly stole something. Either pay for my watch, or never show your face at school again. You, thinking you can even attend the most prestigious university, just shameless."
Listening to the girl's demands, Maya smirked coldly, thinking Aunt Hannah played this act well. Killing two birds with one stone, she wanted not only to kick her out of the Spencer Family but also out of school.
Wishful thinking. Maya knows who she is; she's seen all sorts of challenges. Do they think they can drive her out over a mere watch? They're underestimating her.
Without bothering to argue further, she pushed the girl aside with her right hand and walked towards her seat.
"Bang!" Just two steps forward, the girl swung her phone at Maya's head.
Maya took a deep breath without getting angry. She knew she couldn't win against these people and it would end poorly for her, so she didn't mind the girl hitting her, and continued moving forward.
The girl, seeing Maya ignoring her, angrily caught up and grabbed her ponytail, pulling her back to question, "What do you mean, do you have any reason after stealing?"
"That's too much! That's too much!"
"Enough is enough, just let it go."
Some boys feeling unfair started to speak up for Maya.
Everyone knew the drama between the girls and Elia's false rumors against Maya, but since school's run by the Spencer Family, with Elia reigning, everyone was accustomed to it and didn't dare stand up for Maya. Only when the bullying crossed limits, would they offer minimal protest.
"What's the matter? Did you guys sleep with this little fox last night? Seeing you waiving for her now."
Maya was used to hearing such mockery from the boys supporting her, so she didn't respond, letting them slander freely.
The girl's arrogance immediately suppressed the male students' vigor. If one truly offended Elia, kicking someone out was no trouble, self-preservation was their understanding.
The classroom fell silent again.
Maya turned around, attempting to free the girl's hand, but was pushed back, crashed into a desk behind, and books scattered on the floor, causing her newly medicated back to ache.
In past confrontations like these, Maya would remain silent, letting them insult and laugh, just ignored it. But today seemed unavoidable.
She propped herself on the desk, straightened up, and seriously asked the girl, "Are you a dog? If Elia tells you to die, will you?"
Hearing Maya's mockery, the girl raised her hand, ready to slap her, but her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
She turned angrily, ready to curse, but saw the handsome man holding her wrist. Her ferocity immediately weakened, pitifully complaining.
"Maya stole my watch." The girl's first reaction to seeing him was pretending sympathy, not questioning his identity.
"Fighting means suspension for half a year."
"Bro, why are you at school?" Then Elia stepped out from the 'VIP' stand, surprised that Liam Spencer appeared in school and sided with Maya.
"Third brother, Spencer Family's third young master? I heard he's powerful! Didn't expect him to be so good-looking."
"Why would he be at our school?"
Maya looked up at Liam who was standing not far away, devoid of expression, but knew inside that teachers and grade heads wouldn't intervene, directing the student fetching help to the new principal's office, bringing Liam.
Though Liam just saved her from a slap, Maya felt no gratitude, knowing it shouldn't have happened and feeling her dissatisfaction with Liam unchanged.
"Who's the class president? Theft in class, call the police!" Liam showed no interest in resolving youngsters' conflicts, if not for his first day, he wouldn't have bothered coming.
When the girl heard about calling the police, she rolled her eyes at Maya, saying, "Hmph! Only twenty-thousand dollars, I'm not bothered to give a statement."
Listening to the girl's excuse, Maya glanced at her indifferently without any emotional fluctuation and squatted to pick up books scattered on the ground.
Liam noticed Maya's indifferent attitude, feeling slightly annoyed.
He's always been conceited, yet never seen anyone more conceited, especially someone from the lowest tier.
Her face constantly reminded him of people he didn't want to think about and the past he didn't want to recall.
So he said, "Maya, write a five-thousand-word reflection and present it in each class."
Liam's punishment thrilled Elia and those observing.
Elia thought, apparently Third Brother doesn't like this illegitimate daughter either, dealing with Maya became easier. Writing a reflection, presenting it, is there anything more entertaining?
Maya, squatting, listening to Liam's demand to write and present reflection, took a deep breath, slowly stood up, walked over to Liam, looked up into his eyes, word by word said.
"You know better than anyone if I stole anything."
Last night, this man had thoroughly searched her, every inch of her body, confirming she didn't steal, he naturally knew best.
"Reflection done today, start presenting tomorrow."
Facing Maya's self-righteousness, Liam showed disdain, bothered by neither truth nor falsehood, only displeased by her arrogance.
Just as Liam reached the classroom door, Henry hurriedly entered, seeing Maya's expressionless gaze at Liam's back, Henry felt torn, thinking how did the two end up confronting?
It was lunchtime, Henry took Maya away, aware that her days weren't going well but didn't expect them to be this bad.
Among the crowd, Elia watched Henry leaving with Maya, her face turned white with anger, thinking that little fox always hangs onto Henry, one day she'll show him her true colors.
Inside Henry's car, Maya adjusted the passenger seat flat, lazily sprawling out, closing her eyes for rest.
Henry reached over with his right hand, patted Maya's small waist, asking, "Maya, why did you clash with Liam? You just met, right? How did he react when he saw you?"
Listening to Henry's array of questions, Maya frowned secretly, what other reason could there be? It's just because she's an illegitimate daughter, naturally disliked.
First reaction, when they met last night, she didn't even see his face clearly, how would she know his reaction.
"I don't know." So lazily she uttered these three words.