Return of The Alpha Heiress-Chapter 33: Clarissa – The Fate of an Adopted Daughter

On the stage, Shannon smiled at me. My brain was still trying to process the announcement...

"Take your trophy." On my left, Tessa nudged my elbow.

"Go on, go on! Get up there." From behind, Mira pushed me to stand.

"Congrats, Clar." Even Kellan congratulated me from her seat beside Mira.

I stood up with a confused expression. I still couldn’t believe any of this.

It wasn’t until the trophy landed in my hands and Shannon pulled me into a tight hug, that I finally realized...

I actually won.

A burst of happiness swelled in my chest. It was just one competition, but it made me feel like I had gained everything in the world.

Shannon looked at me with such pride. And I saw Edwin giving me a thumbs-up from his seat.

As I walked back to my chair, a new feeling bloomed in my heart.

Usually, getting first place or scoring perfect marks made me happy... and relieved.

I aimed for achievements so no one would bother me or look down on me.

But now, the happiness felt twice as bright. Shannon’s and Edwin’s proud smile felt like another gift.

I didn’t just win a competition. I made my siblings proud.

...Is this what it feels like to have a family?

When the ceremony ended, Edwin rushed to me before class started.

"Sis Clar, congrats! We have to celebrate this!" he chirped excitedly.

I smiled genuinely. "Thank you, but... isn’t celebrating a bit too much?"

"No way, Sis Clar. Every year, any victory in our family gets celebrated." Edwin insisted.

Right! Green siblings had won this competition three years in a row.

I felt embarrassed for not knowing their family traditions. Then again... I was part of this family now.

"Alright," I nodded.

"Great! I’ll call Mother now!"

"You don’t have to tell her. Let me tell her myself."

"True! Mother would love it more if she heard it from you."

We continued chatting about the device I made, until the four troublemakers approached.

"Clar, let’s go back to class. It’s starting soon," Tessa said, looping her arm around my shoulder like we were lifelong friends.

Mira nodded rapidly.

Class was about to begin, and I did intend to go back. So I followed them.

But when I glanced at Edwin, he was glaring, clearly unhappy.

I knew that glare well.

He’d already warned me to stay away from Tessa and the others, yet here I was walking with them right in front of him.

But Edwin didn’t know that aside from those four, and Shannon and Adrian who were always busy, no one else wanted to befriend me.

I just hoped Shannon wouldn’t be as busy anymore so I could finally distance myself from this chaotic group.

But plans rarely go well.

After the first class, I realized Shannon was no longer buried in tasks as class vice-monitor or student council...

yet she was still busy.

Busy being lovey-dovey with her fiancé, Adrian.

The two of them looked like leads in a school romance novel, inseparable.

I absolutely refused to be a third wheel.

So I chose to focus on studying, using classwork as an excuse so Tessa and the others wouldn’t drag me into conversation.

The four of them were practically allergic to studying. Studying, by nature, became my shield.

I still became their friend, but not to the point of joining their little group.

Even so, focusing was hard with their noisy chatter in the background.

My eyes wandered across the classroom. The best class was filled with smart students who loved studying.

It should have been easy to find a study friend... but for some reason, they all avoided me.

Maybe, to them, befriending an adopted daughter wasn’t equal to befriending the biological children of elites like themselves.

During lunch break, Shannon invited me to eat with her and Adrian, which obviously made no sense for me to accept it.

I didn’t want to be labeled the third wheel.

So instead, I tried approaching one of the quietest groups, who barely spoke unless it was about academics.

But my real reason was Selene White. The highest-scoring student in the entire Aether Class. Mrs. Willette talked about her often.

I’d always wanted to talk to her.

I approached her desk carefully. She was packing up her things, ready to leave.

When she noticed someone approaching, she lifted her head, only to meet my face.

Her expression shifted from blank... to cold.

Then without a word, she stood up and walked out of the classroom.

Just like that.

"Huh?" Was I a germ?

I wasn’t hurt, just shocked. Some people really only consider befriending those who are on their level.

All I could do was sigh.

"Don’t mind her, Clar. Selene’s always like that," Tessa suddenly appeared beside me, arms crossed.

Mira, Rylas, and Ellan followed behind her.

"Instead of thinking about that iron-hearted girl, let’s go eat," Mira said, grabbing my hand as if we were best friends.

Still trying to keep my distance, I smoothly pulled my hand away. "I want to go to the library first."

"You’re no fun, Clar," Rylas pouted.

"There’s a book I need to look for," I replied with an awkward smile.

Studying was the perfect troublemaker repellent.

We split paths.

I headed toward the library, but didn’t actually go there. I slipped into the restroom nearby instead.

Just as I stepped out of the stall, I heard familiar voices.

Selene... and another girl from our class. So she had gone to the library earlier.

"Do you really believe the Green family would adopt a girl just because she looks like Luna Eileen?"

Wow. They were talking about me?

"No. My father said there’s a chance Clarissa is the biological daughter of Alpha and Luna Green," Selene replied calmly.

White Pack’s Alpha family really didn’t play around. They could find insider information like that.

"Ehhh, really? Well... I have a theory..."

A theory? I was curious what nonsense people had come up with about me.

Selene didn’t respond, letting her friend continue.

"I think Clarissa tricked the Alpha Green family. She used her resemblance to Luna Eileen, came here, and now she’s trying to steal the position of Alpha Green’s princess..."

...What?

I didn’t expect even smart students to fall for ridiculous gossip like this.

But surely Selene wouldn’t believe it. She seemed logical enough not to accept baseless rumors... right?

"I agree," Selene said flatly, shattering my expectations completely. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

But the most shocking part was her friend’s next comment,

"If she can steal and submit Shannon’s device to the competition as her own work, she can definitely do worse, right?"

I stole Shannon’s device?

What kind of insane gossip was that?

...