gossip

Samara asked with disdain, "Are you done educating her? We have some business with her."

"Yes," Lila replied, then left with her group.

Once they were gone, Natalie and her friends approached Rhea, scrutinizing her from head to toe. She was plain-looking, at best, dressed in ordinary clothes that altogether probably cost no more than two hundred yuan.

Extremely poor!

"I heard you're good friends with Zuri?" Samara asked.

Rhea, feeling nervous, didn't know how to respond. Judging by their demeanor, she couldn't tell if they were friends or foes and was unsure how to answer without implicating herself.

Noticing Rhea's hesitation, Naya smiled and said, "Don't worry. We just want to ask you something. We won't harm you."

Natalie sneered, "Hey, don't lump us together with those lowlifes like Lila."

Lowlifes?!

If Lila was considered a lowlife in their eyes, what did that make her?!

She didn't dare think further. Self-loathing and embarrassment welled up within her.

"Zuri and I grew up together. We were good friends, but now she keeps her distance," Rhea said, sounding both hurt and sad.

"Why else? Now that she has money, she doesn't want to associate with poor people like you. She's just a snob with no sense of loyalty," Samara scoffed.

Naya caught onto another detail. "You grew up together? So, you're also from the slums of the western suburbs?"

Rhea was about to nod but noticed the disdain in their eyes growing stronger, so she quickly shook her head. "No. I lived in a neighboring area and we happened to go to the same school and be in the same class."

"So, you know Zuri very well."

Rhea nodded.

"Tell us, what kind of person was Zuri? How were her grades? And what about her personal life?" Naya pressed.

"Don't lie to us. If we find out you lied, you won't want to know the consequences," Natalie threatened.

Rhea nodded fearfully. "Zuri often hung out with delinquents, always getting into fights. I heard she even had a child with one of those guys and then had an abortion."

Saira and her friends' eyes widened in shock.

"Is that true?" Saira asked urgently.

"I'm not sure, but everyone was saying it back then, and the details were very convincing. Often, people from outside the school would pick her up."

Samara and the others exchanged excited glances.

"And her grades? She took the Windsor Academy exam with you, right?"

"Her grades were average, not very good," Rhea said, her eyes downcast, shifty.

"That's all. You can go now," Naya said, waving her away like she was shooing a fly.

Rhea seethed inside but dared not show it. She couldn't afford to offend anyone here.

After Rhea left, Natalie exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, I never expected her life to be so colorful. Such an exciting life should be shared with more people, don't you think?"

Samara nodded with a smile.

Natalie quickly created an anonymous post online, exposing Zuri's past exploits with added embellishments, painting her as a promiscuous woman.

As soon as Zuri walked into the classroom, all eyes turned to her, filled with undisguised disdain and disgust.

"Pregnant, abortion, so disgusting."

Zuri paused, turning her head to look down at Shaina.

Shaina, frightened, leaned closer to her desk mate, watching Zuri warily. "What do you want?"

"Keep talking trash, and I'll wash your mouth myself."

Shaina fell silent.

Zuri's cold gaze swept around the room. "The rest of you too."

A chair suddenly crashed to the floor, and the classroom fell into a brief silence.

No one dared to speak.

Zuri pulled out a chair, sat down, and calmly took out her textbook from the drawer, diligently studying.

The rumors swirling outside didn't affect her at all.

In her previous life, she'd heard too many slanders and insults. She had built an impregnable wall around her heart back then.

This time, she wouldn't care.

Ricardo and the others entered the classroom, surrounding Kaden. They noticed that everyone was glued to their phones, except for one person in the corner who was deeply engrossed in her book.

"Kaden, do you think she's missing a screw? The stuff online has spread throughout the school, and she can still focus on studying."

Ricardo wasn't sure whether to admire her or think she was oblivious.

"Boss, do you think the things said online are true?" Rhett asked.

Kaden rolled his eyes at them. "Idiots."

Ricardo and Rhett exchanged confused looks.

Kaden, annoyed by their stupidity, kicked them away. He sauntered past Zuri, circling around her, then slouched over his desk to rest.

He tilted his head, his dark eyes fixated on her.

As he watched, he dozed off.

Zuri glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before returning her attention to her book.

In the afternoon, two impeccably dressed men in suits, exuding an air of professionalism, walked into the teaching building carrying briefcases.

After confirming the room number, an assistant knocked on the door.

The teacher looked at them curiously. "Who are you looking for?"

"Hello, we're from Xinrui Law Firm. Is Natalie here?" the leading man asked politely.

All eyes turned to Natalie, who looked bewildered. She didn't recognize these men.

"Yes, Natalie, step outside for a moment," the teacher said.

Natalie stood up and walked out of the classroom, puzzled.

The curious students, eager to know why lawyers were looking for her, perked up their ears.

"Hello, Natalie. I'm Zuri's attorney. Regarding your spreading of defamatory rumors online about my client, we have now formally initiated legal proceedings. This is to notify you both verbally and in writing."

Although the lawyer's voice wasn't loud, it was clear enough for students in the nearby classrooms to hear every word.

"What did you say?" Natalie gasped.

She never expected Zuri to hire a lawyer to sue her.

She'd done this sort of thing before, and it always ended without any consequences.

Who would actually hire a lawyer and take it to court?

Natalie was dumbfounded, as were the eavesdropping students.