Chapter 39
Theodore’s students crowded around, most of them wearing the eager expressions of people about to witness a spectacle.
“Ha! Look at what she wrote here…” scoffed a guy in thick black–framed glasses, his finger tracing the equations under the problem as he mocked each line.
But as his eyes skimmed rapidly through Selene’s work, the ridicule caught in his throat. He froze, mouth open, words stuck.
“Wait–she… she actually proved it!”
Selene’s proof was not only correct but also far simpler and clearer than his own. The realization hit him so hard he wanted to smack his forehead–why hadn’t he thought of that approach?
“No way! Just because she wrote something, we’re supposed to take it as right?” another student protested, snatching the paper. The group craned their necks, crowding closer to Selene’s solution, reading each step in stunned silence.
It wasn’t just that she worked fast–she’d actually solved the problems Theodore had set, and done it in record time.
A few of the guys glanced back at Selene, their eyes subtly changed.
“Selene, how do you work through these problems so quickly?”
“I spent two days on this test and didn’t even get as far as you did in an hour,” another student admitted, shaking his head in disbelief.
Selene simply shrugged. “Well, since this is an Olympiad–style test, I just solved it within the competition time frame.”
“Yeah, but no one else works this fast!”
In every math competition, Selene was always the first to hand in her answers.
She had a knack for these contests, which was probably why Theod
always felt
a hint of regret whenever he thought of her–maybe even resentment, seeing such talent seemingly wasted.
“Wait, Selene, you only have a bachelor’s degree, right?”
“I used to compete a lot, so I’m pretty experienced with these kinds of problems,” she replied.
The others just assumed Selene was some kind of professional math competitor.
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09:23
“Selene, can you walk us through your proof?” someone asked eagerly.
Daph happened to look up just then and saw Selene standing at the whiteboard, explaining her solution to the Capital University students.
“Wow!” Daph’s mouth fell open in a round little ‘O‘ of awe, a soft gasp escaping her throat.
Usually, Selene sat quietly beside Daph and Dames, helping them with homework, always gentle and patient. But now, Daph was seeing a whole new side of her mother–confident, brilliant, commanding the admiration of a room full of adults.
As Selene finished her explanation, the students broke into spontaneous applause.
Daph, not entirely sure what was happening, clapped along with them, beaming.
“My mommy’s amazing, isn’t she, Mr. Shaw?” Daph turned to Adrian, catching the bright, fervent look in his eyes as he watched Selene.
She stared, momentarily stunned.
Sure, Mr. Shaw was handsome, but in Daph’s eyes, her dad was the most handsome man in the world. Yet she’d never seen her father look at her mother with such
admiration–such light in his eyes.
Adrian glanced down and responded gently to Daph’s earlier comment. “I’ve always known your mom is remarkable.”
Daph was delighted. “That’s great! Now there’s one more person who knows how amazing my mom is! Dames always insists Aunt Felicity is the best, but I know my mom is a thousand times–no, ten thousand times–better!”
A warm smile played at the corners of Adrian’s usually reserved mouth. “She’s a pearl–just a bit dusty, that’s all. Some people can’t tell the difference between a pearl and a pebble when it’s covered in dust.”
And only Selene herself could brush that dust away.
“Selene, you’re definitely competing in next month’s ALI Math Competition, right?” someone asked eagerly.
Selene blinked in surprise. “Wait, is registration still open for the ALI Math Competition?”
“I think so… Today’s the last day to sign up,” someone replied.
Selene quickly opened her laptop, checked the rules—thankfully, the ALI Math Competition was open to the public, no degree required.
09:23
Chapter 39
She filled out the application and submitted it just before the deadline.
In recent years, the ALI Group’s math competition had become the most prestigious in the country. As long as she placed, finding a job would be much easier.
“I thought for sure you’d already signed up,” a student said.
Selene looked a little embarrassed. “I haven’t competed in seven years.”
Her revelation left the students reeling once again. The guy in black–framed glasses gave an incredulous snort.
Chapter 40
