HEIRESS REBORN: MARRYING HER EX-FIANCÉ-Chapter 43: Her Highschool graduation (1)

"Congratulations, sis!"

Jason excitedly called out, weaving his way through the crowd of graduates and families gathered outside the hall. Dressed in a neat suit that made him look almost grown-up, he flashed a proud smile, holding out a carefully chosen bouquet of bright flowers.

Ayana’s usually composed expression softened at the sight of her adorable little brother.

"Thank you, Jason." She replied, her voice gentle as she accepted the bouquet, a genuine smile lighting up her face. She couldn’t help but feel touched by the effort he’d put into dressing up and bringing her flowers.

Even though he was certainly helped another.

"Congratulations on graduating highschool, Ayana." Just then, another hand extended a second bouquet toward her. Ayana shifted her gaze to Noah, brimming with a prideful smile.

’’Thank you...brother.’’ Her voice softened at the end after collecting the bouquet.

’’It’s elder brother or big brother.’’ He immediately pinched her cheeks with a small chuckle.

’’.....’’ Ayana held still, her expression blank but her eyes narrowing slightly as she endured the pinch, feeling the slight warmth of embarrassment at being in public.

She, the president of the Kingston corporation and an older adult at heart, was being treated like a small girl in public!

If they had been at home, she would have swatted his hand away in an instant.

Perhaps sensing her restrained irritation, Noah took full advantage, his grin widening as he extended the pinch longer than he would dare in private.

"Enjoying yourself, elder brother?" Ayana muttered through squished cheeks in a mocking tone.

"Oh, absolutely." Noah shamelessly replied, looking oblivious to his actions. Having satisfied himself, he gave her cheeks a final playful squeeze before letting go.

Ayana smoothed her cheeks, shooting him a look of warning, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

’’Are you ready to go now?’’ Noah asked, ignoring her warning eyes.

’’Oh, the principal wants to see me.’’ She replied as she lowered arm. ’’Apparently, it’s about the university that I applied for.’’

’’Really?’’ Noah’s eyebrows lifted in mild surprise. ’’Then I guess we’ll have to wait for some time.’’ Since it was about the university she wanted, then it must be important.

’’It won’t take long.’’ Ayana reassured him before glancing at Jason, who had already entertained himself by observing the people bustling around them, and then turned around to head straight for the principal’s office.

But not before giving the bouquets to one of the bodyguards with them.

’I should hurry up.’ She told herself as she hastened her footsteps through the busy crowd.

’’Is that her?’’

’’Yes, mum. That’s the first in our grade.’’

’’She gave the closing speech as the best graduating student.’’

’’She’s a straight A’s student?’’

’’She’s in your class?’’

’’I don’t I’ve seen her during your parents-teacher’s days.’’

’’I think I’ve seen her during exams.’’

’’You don’t know who she is, dad?’’

’’That’s the rumored president of the Kingston corporation!’’

’’You wanted me to get close to her, didn’t you?’’

’’Really?’’

’’She has changed quite a lot since I saw her.’’

’’I heard from the teachers that she’s an online student.’’

’’That must be why her face is not so familiar.’’

’’You don’t think the school manipulated her results because of her identity?’’

’’I doubt they can do that. Our families are also not to be taken lightly.’’

’’True. This highschool is not like the common ones.’’

’’...’’

’...how annoying.’ Ayana did not bother with faint murmurs trailing behind her as she continued down the path to the principal’s office. She had grown used to them anyway.

Well...the whispers did have some truth to them.

Just like she had done in middle school, she continued the same with her high school. Fortunately for her, the middle school and high school were of the same names with a relationship.

The Hilliard middle school and high school.

Both schools had a certain reputation for having the best educational system, and also admitting only children of the wealthy families.

Her request to be an online student had raised eyebrows, of course. But for someone like her, with the Kingston name and the family’s generous donations to each respective school, it had been an easy arrangement for the two schools to approve.

Either way, life after her death through middle school and high school was peaceful.

Until now that many knew of her identity as the best graduating student in the grade and straight A’s student.

Perhaps to them, she must have used her family name to have manipulated the result and pressured the school to give closing speech.

’’~My my, look who we have here.’’

Ayana snapped out her thoughts at a voice that she found very familiar—from her past life. One that she had grown to love in her past life, but now irritating in this life. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

’’Congratulations on becoming a true adult, sister.’’ The voice was smooth and feminine as she’d remembered, yet she could sense a hint of arrogance within them.

There was only one that could have such voice in her life.

Ayana’s eyes flicked up involuntarily, and exactly she guessed, the owner of that revolting voice was her second cousin.

Arabella Kingston.

Standing just outside the principal’s office, the very picture of perfection with her strawberry blonde hair styled to flawless waves and a smile that seemed almost too sweet. Her posture was pristine and immaculate, as though she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine.

A sight that Ayana felt the all-too-familiar from her past life and a pang of disdain stirred up in her chest.

Unlike five years ago when they were much younger, this was the true Arabella that she hated deeply. A picture perfect of Lucinda’s elegant beauty with her sweet smile and poised air.

Even their fashion sense was somewhat the same, though Arabella was bolder as Lucinda would never expose her shoulders as the elegant and angelic ady she pictured herself to others.

"Arabella," Ayana’s steps finally came to a stop before the principal’s office, her gaze locking with her second cousin. ’’I didn’t expect to see you here." The tone of her voice was neutral.

Both voice and words were opposite of the welcoming nature of Arabella’s.

’’Why would you say that, sister?’’ Arabella smiled, acting like she did not sense the estrangement between them. ’’Today’s your graduation day and as family, we’re supposed to be together. You didn’t even bother to invite me or my parents.’’

’’...’’

"Well, you did withdraw from many social events because of work, so I can understand your reason.’’ She continued, her voice carrying a false note of understanding.

"The heavens also seemed to agree with my words because of the color we chose to wear for this special day. Just like the sisters we are!" She cheered, flashing a bright, almost too-perfect smile, as if everything between them was perfectly fine.

As if they had been interacting like the family she claimed they were for the past five years.