Chapter 3

"This is unbelievable; it can't be! There must be some kind of mistake!" Janet lamented, frustration evident in the firm hits of her hands against the wall. She double-checked the list of winners, but Aurora's name was nowhere to be found. Not only was she absent from the list of winners, but her name also didn't appear among the participants selected to represent their country in the competition against the advanced Western world. Janet felt a wave of anger, wanting to shatter the glass covering the winners' names and tear the paper apart.

"How on earth did that girl win? Everyone knows you're the best! You should have won this prize, Aurora! What went wrong? Something isn't right!" Janet lamented, bombarding Aurora with rhetorical questions. Aurora Sterling remained silent, her mind ablaze with frustration. It felt as though the ground should open up and swallow her whole. The world suddenly felt empty to her. All her hopes were shattered, and her face contorted with deep pain.

"Everyone knows you're the best; how did that spoiled brat become the winner of this contest? It's unbelievable. There must have been a mistake somewhere!" Janet groaned, her pain evident. Oblivious to the people checking the winners' names on the billboard, she continued her barrage of unanswered questions. Some students groaned in empathy, while others exclaimed with excitement. Just then, Annabel and Mint passed by, their smiles wide as they stopped, their laughter echoing loudly, mocking Aurora and Janet.

"Can you see my name boldly written at the top of the winners, declaring me the best? I warned you not to challenge me; we're not in the same league! I've just proven my superiority over you! You're a loser!" Annabel taunted, staring intensely into Aurora's eyes, who remained silent, seething with rage.

"Let's leave these pathetic losers alone; they're even more shameless than I thought! Aurora, or whatever your name is, it's a shame you lost locally and internationally. You didn't win the 50 million dollar prize, and you're not among those representing our community in the Western competition. Pathetic!" Minty mocked, her words dripping with disdain, as both girls burst into laughter.

"What's all this nonsense, you two?" Janet burst out, her emotions boiling over. She felt an overwhelming urge to confront the two girls before Aurora intervened. "Janet, please, let it go. It's not worth it," Aurora said softly, trying to calm her friend.

"Why are you stopping your friend from barking? Let her bark so I can show her what I'm really made of. And it's not our fault that you two are miserable; it's your own fault for being poor and pathetic," Annabel retorted, her tone dripping with venom.

"Come on, Janet," Aurora said firmly, her eyes blazing with determination as she turned away from Annabel and Mint. They were insignificant to her now; she had more important matters to attend to. Without another word, Janet followed Aurora, her heart heavy with pain, as they headed toward their team manager's office.

Jackson's eyes brimmed with excitement as he signed some papers on his desk. However, his expression quickly shifted to surprise when Aurora stormed into his office, her face a mask of fierce determination. "Aurora Sterling, is everything alright? What's with the intense look?" Jackson asked, feigning ignorance to the reason for Aurora's manners.

"Mr. Jackson, with all due respect, could you please explain what went wrong? I mean, everyone saw that I won every stage of the competition. So why didn't I win? And why am I not selected to represent our community in the wrestling competition against the Western world?" Aurora's voice quivered with a mixture of disbelief and grief. Each word was a plea for justice, a desperate attempt to make sense of the betrayal she felt. Despite her efforts to maintain composure, her voice cracked under the weight of disappointment, bringing her heartache for all to hear.

"Aurora, you're here on scholarship; you can't expect to win such a major prize when we have students whose families have invested heavily in this school! The world doesn't revolve around you! I'm sorry, Aurora Sterling. Everyone acknowledges your talent, but this is the reality. Just keep working hard; there are more opportunities ahead," Jackson explained calmly, his words cutting through Aurora like a knife. She stood in stunned silence for a moment before removing the rope of her identity card from around her neck.

"I can see why the rich keep getting richer; the world can never thrive without honesty. I'm done," Aurora declared, slamming her identity card onto Jackson's desk. Before Jackson could utter a word, she strode out of his office, her mind set on what she needed to do.

As Jackson tightened his grip on the identity card Aurora left behind, he felt a pang of guilt. He knew Aurora was the best, but he was powerless to change the outcome. He wasn't the one in control of the money; he was just a manager trying to keep his job. "I'm sorry, Aurora, but I can't risk losing my job to please you. I have to do what's best for me," Jackson thought, resuming his work with a heavy heart.

Aurora's chest tightened, her breath catching in her throat as she fought back tears of frustration. Each heartbeat felt like a heavy blow, echoing the weight of her shattered dreams. With trembling hands, she clenched her fists, the sting of betrayal burning deep within her soul. At that moment, she felt the crushing weight of her powerlessness, the bitter taste of defeat angering her spirit.

She had once dreamed of becoming renowned worldwide for her wrestling skills, but now, those hopes lay dashed. All she could do now was save her family with the only option available to her. She wished she had more power, but she was just the granddaughter of an elderly couple.

Heading home with Janet trailing closely behind, Aurora walked swiftly, her anger visible. Janet had never seen Aurora so infuriated before, and she struggled to keep pace. Though she had much to say, she remained silent, simply following her friend swiftly.

"Grandpa, Grandma, I'm fully prepared to marry that old man! When is the wedding?" Aurora blurted out, shocking Theodore, Evelyn, and Janet, who all stared at her in disbelief as Janet grappled with what Aurora's words meant.