Transmigrated Into The True Heiress-Chapter 111: Unlucky

Rylie chuckled, though the sound lacked warmth. "Neither, Master Aelion. What I am is informed. As much as you may detest my methods, you detest missing opportunities even more. You want perfection."

Lyle leaned back in his chair, his face cast in shifting light and shadow from the fire pit’s dancing flames. It was a mask of stoicism, his dark eyes betraying none of the thoughts churning behind them. "What concerns me," he said finally, his voice measured, "is whether your so-called information is worth the risk. You talk about unrecorded experiments and elusive breakthroughs, but for all I know, you could be feeding me lies."

Rylie’s confidence didn’t waver. He leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees, his storm-gray eyes meeting Lyle’s with an intensity that spoke of conviction. "It’s worth the risk, I assure you. Not only do I have the comprehensive details of the unrecorded experiment—successes, failures, and everything in between—but I can also provide you with the identities of everyone involved in its development. Names that have been scrubbed from existence, people who’ve gone underground. These are the keys to unlocking something far greater than you’ve ever imagined."

Lyle leaned forward, his tone icy. "What I want to know is whether you’ve done your homework. The people behind those experiments are dangerous. Many of them would kill to keep their secrets buried. And yet, here you are, parading them as leverage."

Rylie’s smirk widened, his confidence unwavering. "Let’s just say I’m not easily intimidated, and I have the resources to keep myself...protected. As do you."

Lyle’s fingers began tapping idly against the armrest, a rhythmic motion that betrayed his deep contemplation. The silence stretched, punctuated only by the distant hum of the city below and the faint crackle of flames.

"You’re playing a dangerous game, Carver," Lyle said at last, his tone like ice. "And you’ve underestimated me if you think I’ll walk into it blindly."

Rylie’s demeanor shifted slightly, his smirk mocking. "I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. Which is why I’m willing to sweeten the deal. I’ll give you access to our initial research—data, prototypes, and reports. Enough to prove I’m serious."

"And in return?" Lyle’s voice was low.

"In return," Rylie said smoothly, "you bring your AI specialists to collaborate with my team. We develop this project together, with joint control over its outcome. No secrets, no backstabbing. Just progress."

Lyle’s lips twitched, though whether in amusement or disdain was unclear. "Your idea of no backstabbing is interesting, given your reputation."

Rylie laughed, a rich, genuine sound that echoed across the terrace. "Touché. But even snakes know when to work together for mutual survival. So, Master Aelion—do we have a deal?"

The firelight danced in Lyle’s eyes as he studied Rylie in silence. Finally, he spoke, his voice measured. "One condition."

"Name it," Rylie said smoothly.

"If your information is incomplete or false, there will be no second chances. You’ll regret ever stepping onto this terrace."

Rylie’s smirk deepened, his confidence unshaken. "Fair enough. Shall we shake on it?"

Lyle rose to his feet, towering over Rylie, who remained seated with his casual demeanor intact. "Not yet. I’ll send my team to review your data. If it’s as good as you claim, you’ll hear from me."

With that, Lyle turned sharply, gesturing for Jania to follow. The sound of his footsteps faded as he strode back toward the elevator, leaving Rylie alone on the terrace, his smirk lingering.

As the elevator doors closed behind Lyle, Rylie leaned back into the sofa, swirling the remaining scotch in his glass. "Oh, you’ll call," he murmured to himself, his storm-gray eyes glinting with amusement.

———

After an eventful week that included celebrating her birthday in the snow and entering a contract marriage, Monday arrived—the first day of their examinations—and it was snowing.

It had been snowing since dawn. Ephyra was currently wrapped in a thick woolen shawl and coat, staring out the frosted window of her car. The snow fell in soft, steady flakes, blanketing the academy grounds in a pristine white. The sight was serene, almost hypnotic, and for a moment, Ephyra allowed herself to simply exist in the moment, her thoughts a quiet murmur in the back of her mind.

But the tranquility didn’t last. A voice at the door broke her reverie.

"Miss Ephyra, you’re going to be late." Miles’s voice came from the car door, which he had opened.

"Oh, of course," she said, slipping on her gloves. She stepped out of the car and joined the stream of students trudging toward the main building. The snow crunched underfoot, and their breath puffed out in white clouds as they walked. Despite the cold, the atmosphere was lively, the nervous energy of exams mingling with the excitement of the fresh snowfall.

When she reached the classroom, Ephyra was surprised to see it already full before 8:00 a.m. Even Malia, Orla, and Cyran were present. The three were dressed only in their inner jackets, as the temperature inside the building was comfortable.

As soon as Malia saw her, she hurried over. "Ephyra, thank God you’re here! Can you believe what happened?!"

"What happened?" Ephyra asked, exchanging a glance with Cyran.

"Just as we entered our class building, we saw the class monitors following the teachers to the announcement board for each class! They couldn’t even let us digest the fact that we’ll be seeing our test results today! We are so unlucky!"

Ephyra glanced at Orla, who sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, that’s it? It’s alright. Everything will be fine."

"You can say that—your major subject is art, right? At least it’s a bit easier for you. But me? Mine is Biology! And you know how brutal Mr. Altheron is when grading our papers. I can’t even imagine what kind of torture awaits me on that announcement board," Malia groaned, throwing her hands in the air for dramatic effect.

Ephyra gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Malia, you always manage to pull through. I’m sure you did better than you think."

Cyran smirked, leaning casually against a desk. "She says that every time, and every time, she ends up in the top five of the class."

"Not this time," Malia shot back, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I skipped the last question entirely. There’s no way I’m surviving this."

"Relax," Orla interjected, her tone even. "There’s nothing you can do about it now. Besides, the results aren’t out yet. You might surprise yourself."

"Orla’s right," Ephyra said. "Let’s not worry about the results until we actually see them. No use stressing over something that’s already done."

Malia sighed, crossing her arms. "Easy for you guys to say. You don’t have to face the wrath of Mr. Altheron if you mess up."

At that moment, the classroom door swung open, and a teacher entered, followed by a student carrying a clipboard. The room fell silent as everyone turned to watch them. The teacher glanced around before speaking.

"Good morning, everyone. Before we begin today’s examination, I have an important announcement. The results for last week’s tests have been posted on the announcement boards outside. You may check them during the break. Please take your seats now so we can begin the Mathematics examination."

A collective murmur swept through the room. Malia looked like she was about to faint.

"They’re really not giving us a moment to breathe," she whispered as she shuffled back to her seat.

Ephyra caught Cyran’s amused glance and stifled a laugh. She took her seat, her thoughts briefly flickering to the announcement board. She wasn’t particularly worried—she had prepared well, and her answers felt solid—but there was always that lingering doubt that came with exam results.

As the teacher began distributing the papers, Ephyra forced herself to focus. There would be plenty of time to deal with the results later. For now, she had an exam to conquer. freeweɓnovel.cøm

The classroom settled into a familiar rhythm as pencils scratched against paper, the weight of the moment temporarily overshadowing everything else.

An hour passed, and Ephyra stood up, walking in front of the whole class as she went to submit her paper.

Murmurs began to spread as she walked past the rows of desks, her confident stride catching the attention of a few students who were still furiously scribbling on their papers. She felt their eyes on her—a mix of admiration and curiosity—but she ignored them, focusing instead on handing her completed test to the teacher.

"Thank you, Miss Ephyra," the teacher said with a nod, taking the paper and placing it neatly on the growing pile.

As Ephyra turned to walk back to her seat, the whispers grew louder.

"She’s always the first to finish," someone murmured.

"Bet she aced it," another voice chimed in.

Ephyra’s expression remained calm, though she couldn’t help the slight twitch of a smile at the corners of her lips. She returned to her desk, sitting down and folding her hands neatly.

Malia, seated a few rows behind, leaned over to Orla and whispered, "Does she even get nervous? It’s like she’s built differently."

Orla smirked. "She’s just prepared, unlike some people I know."

Malia huffed but didn’t argue, her focus returning to her half-finished paper.