A Mate To Three Alpha Heirs-Chapter 25: His Perfect Score

{Elira}

~**^**~

When I finally made it down the stairs, my steps were slower, still carrying the weight of those three crumpled essays.

And there — leaning against the bottom of the steps, arms folded, gaze warm — stood Lennon.

My lips parted in surprise. "You’ve been here all this time?"

His grin was so easy, so boyish, it made my heart feel light for a fleeting second. "Just in case you needed to be rescued," he teased.

A small laugh escaped me, softer than I intended.

He tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over my face. "So, how did it go?"

"It... was fine," I murmured, my fingers brushing the edge of the folded essays. "Zenon made me write an essay. Three times before I got it right."

For some reason, Lennon’s face lit up at that, as though he’d just heard something wonderful. He didn’t tease me this time. Instead, he reached out and gently took my wrist. "Rennon has to hear this."

"W-what?" I stammered, but he was already leading me, our steps quickening across the hall.

I barely had time to catch my breath as Lennon guided me up another flight of stairs, his grip steady but gentle.

When we reached the rooftop terrace, the afternoon breeze brushed against my face, carrying the faint scent of jasmine and sun-warmed stone.

Rennon sat there, his back to us, on a chair woven from straw and rattan, gazing out at the horizon as if lost in thought. The light painted the edges of his hair gold.

I thought, fleetingly, that he looked peaceful like that. Or maybe lonely.

Then, as our footsteps neared, he turned — that gentle gaze of his resting on us.

"Elira," Rennon greeted softly, his tone warm. "Are you done with your lesson with Zenon?"

I nodded. "Yes, I just finished."

Before I could explain further, Lennon’s excitement tumbled out. "You won’t believe it — Zenon made her write an essay. For almost two hours straight!"

Then, Lenon led me to the woven chair across from Rennon and settled us down.

Rennon raised a brow, genuinely curious. "What was the topic?"

"’Why do you want to get into ESA?’" I replied quietly.

Rennon’s lips curved faintly. "That’s unique," he remarked, as though turning the words over in his mind.

Then, to my surprise, both brothers leaned forward slightly.

"May we?" Rennon asked, his voice respectful, but eyes shining with quiet interest.

For a moment, embarrassment crawled up my neck. My hand hesitated over the crumpled papers. But then, I nodded and held them out.

Lennon gently took the essays, his thumb smoothing over the creases, and shared them with Rennon.

They both read in silence. The breeze tugged lightly at the corners of the papers, and my heart hammered in my chest.

Lennon’s eyes widened a little as he reached the third essay. "Ninety points?" His tone was almost disbelieving. He looked up at me. "Zenon gave you ninety?"

My brows furrowed. "Is that... strange?"

"That’s his perfect score," Lennon explained. "Zenon never gives any student more than ninety, no matter how good they are. You basically got his highest mark."

My breath caught. For a moment, something warm flooded my chest—pride, sharp and unexpected. I did that. The great, cold Zenon had given me his perfect score.

Rennon’s gaze softened. "Well done, Elira," he said sincerely. "It shows you didn’t just write—you spoke from your heart."

I lowered my gaze, fighting back tears that threatened to spill. "Thank you... truly."

Lennon leaned back, still smiling. "Be proud of yourself. You’ve earned it."

I nodded again, words caught in my throat.

Rennon’s expression grew a little more serious. "Your entrance exam is in two days," he reminded gently. "So, for the remaining time, we’ll keep going. Morning and evening."

Lennon glanced at me, half teasing, half serious. "Rest for now. After lunch, I’ll take over your lesson. Then, later in the evening, Rennon will tutor you. After that, you’ll have dinner and get some sleep."

My shoulders slumped a little at the thought — not from dread, but from knowing how much my head might ache.

"Your schedule is busy," Rennon said, as if he could read my mind. "But remember: it’s only for a short while."

I nodded, though my thoughts were still swirling. My brain already feels so full... Two hours with Zenon had been like squeezing a lake into a teacup.

Yet even through the worry, something stubborn flickered in me.

I will try. Even if my head feels like it might explode, I will try.

Lennon passed the essays back to me, his fingers brushing mine briefly. "Keep them," he said. "They’re proof of how far you’ve come."

I held the papers to my chest, feeling the rough edges under my palm.

In that moment, under the open sky, with both of them beside me, I felt... supported. Not alone.

Maybe, the future wasn’t so terrifying like I thought it to be.

---

I returned to my bedroom on the second floor, filled with renewed hope as I went over the lessons with Zenon and his brothers’ reaction to the perfect score he gave me.

I hadn’t expected that honesty from him. From his attitude towards me from the very beginning, he seemed like someone who would be bent on frustrating my efforts.

Oh, well, he hadn’t excluded that earlier, but he was sincere in giving me a score, I had merited.

Maybe Zenon wasn’t so bad. He just didn’t like me.

Two minutes later, a servant came in to hand me a plate of citrus fruits. I was grateful for that and finished everything in one sitting before entering under the covers of my bed.

Several minutes later, a firm knock on the door and a sharp pain on the sides of my stomach woke me up from the nap.

I didn’t know how long I’d been sleeping for, but with lunch in front of my door, I confirmed that I had only a few minutes left before my lessons with Lennon would take off.

A deep sigh escaped my lips.

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