Chapter 339: Chapter 339

Natasha shook her head, trying to shake off the surprise, her gaze meeting Samantha’s in disbelief. ’How did I get here?’ she wondered, struggling to remember how she had unwound herself from Samantha and created some space between them. Even before anything significant unfolded, she felt like she had lost to a mere ’adopted daughter’. Light laughter and teasing surrounded them, adding to the surreal moment.

Natasha was still vague on why she had a certain reverence towards the girl who had been inconspicuous in the school hallways unless Raye had been around. She was flabbergasted. Natasha was a legitimate and the only daughter of her family. It goes to say that she should not have been feeling this way because of that short command from Samantha.

Natasha cleared her throat, trying to be inconspicuous as she glanced around at the group of teenagers. Unfortunately, her hopes of going unnoticed were dashed. The soft whispers buzzed around her, making her feel a mix of frustration and the urge to find a cozy spot to hide from all the gazes and potential teasing.

"Did you see that? Natasha was put in her place for once!"

"But this girl adopted by the Thornston family... what’s her name again?"

"Yes, Samantha. Isn’t she afraid that Natasha will find problems for her?"

"Do you think that someone like Natasha can do that?"

"What do you mean? Natasha is a senior, and her father is...."

"Do not talk of families. Do you not know the link between these two? It’s Raye, whose family disappeared overnight. Have you forgotten?"

"The budding influential family? The Gumm family? You mean....?"

"It takes a discerning eye to know that Raye was the reason his family was wiped off."

"But wasn’t that just rumours?"

"Huh! You have no idea how power plays in our circles, do you?"

The surroundings became briefly quiet, and another person added,

"Isn’t she just an adopted daughter?"

The question was not an unfathomable one and one that Samantha herself dreaded in a way. She had always felt that she did not belong and that was why she could never hold her head up high in school. However....

"Do you really think that an adopted girl, whose adoptive parents don’t seem to care about her, would be driven to school? And does Mr. Thornston really have so much time to waste on people who don’t matter?"

It all made a surprising amount of sense. The children whose parents had brought them to school watched how eager they were to impress Samantha’s father, yet they didn’t dare approach him. Besides, only a child who couldn’t yet speak or grasp the world would be oblivious to Ian and his family’s influence.

As the island’s first settlers, their impact ran deep, but Ian’s power and reach were the most intimidating. Many parents had already advised their kids to befriend Samantha since she was the oldest, and it was clear that the younger ones had received similar guidance regarding her siblings too. The person who had been speaking carried on,

"Mr Thornston would never just accompany these children to school for no reason. He is sending a statement out.... And this is not the first time too..."

The statement was left hanging just as a boisterous group also entered the hallway, talking loudly at the top of their voices.

"Did you see her mum?" A loud whistle followed, and many of the students around lowered their heads in embarrassment and other strange emotions.

Yes, Samantha’s mother was a heartbreaker in many ways even for their young hearts.

"Maaaan..... it’s a pity that she is Mr Thornston’s wife...."

"But I didn’t know that he likes to eat young grass! The last I checked, he was already in his forties, and his wife could pass as one of our seniors here...."

"Hahahahahahahaaaaaaa! Who wouldn’t want a wife like her? She is delectable!"

The hallway, already buzzing with tension, felt even more charged as the boys strolled through, their bags slung casually over their shoulders. With tousled hair and buttons that seemed to dare to stay fastened, their budding muscles were on display as they chatted and laughed heartily.

They briefly glanced at Samantha, their eyes lingering a moment longer than usual, acknowledging her presence. Their laughter faded as they pushed through the double doors, leaving a soft echo behind.

’Yes, her mother!’ Natasha mused, feeling so small in comparison to an adult for the first time. The woman’s beauty was breathtaking, surpassing anything Natasha could find the words for.

It was surprisingly overwhelming, especially since she had only met Samantha and Ava during that festival night. This woman felt like a dazzling star in the sky, making Natasha wish she were somehow related to Shelby instead of Shelby being connected to the person beside her...

A fleeting thought crossed Natasha’s mind, but she quickly brushed it aside. She recognized this wasn’t the moment for distractions. With a mission at hand, she needed Samantha’s support. Any feelings of fear or narrow-mindedness that had clouded her thoughts were pushed back, and she forced a bright smile.

Samantha quietly observed all the conversations around her, which brought some old insecurities back to the surface. Over the past few days, Shelby, her mother, had made Samantha feel truly accepted.

However, hearing the word ’adopted’ made those buried feelings bubble up inside her. She briefly closed her eyes, an annoyance flickering through her as she noticed Natasha’s hand reaching out towards hers again.

Taking a cautious step back, she wanted to avoid being touched. Samantha felt certain that events involving her parents and what happened to Raye had nudged her into the upper echelons of social circles at school during her first day back after that absence, but deep down, she knew the truth: she felt she had no real friends at all.

The people trying to fawn around her were only doing that because of her confirmed standing in her family. Her mother and especially Aunt Ava and her new uncles, had talked to her extensively, but even without that, Samantha knew that none of the so-called students who seemed to be standing in line to talk to her after Natasha were all up to no good.

As she prepared to leave, Samantha’s eyes caught a glimpse of a student in the corner. Samantha simultaneously looked away and started to exit, even though Natasha continued to speak.

What struck her as odd was that amidst the bright hallways, this student stood in the sole shadowed spot. However, she couldn’t fully discern the student’s features, a wave of familiarity washed over her. Frowning, she muttered to herself, ’Of course this is school. It’s not surprising that this person seems familiar!’

Samantha gently sidestepped Natasha and made her way to the exit. Yet, she felt a little tug of curiosity and glanced back at that corner. To her surprise, it was completely empty! Samantha narrowed her eyes for a moment, then quickly slipped away from the chatty crowd. With purpose, she walked to her locker room and closed the door softly behind her.

She gently placed her hand on her heart, taking a moment to calm her racing thoughts. Samantha wasn’t quite accustomed to all the attention from the crowd.

Usually, she found comfort in the background, quietly observing others basking in the spotlight, like that girl who had lingered in the shadows. But today was different—today, she found herself shining in the limelight!

Samantha quickly pulled out her books for class and exited the room without making eye contact with anyone. She rushed for her first lesson, and for once, she was very attentive and did all that was asked.

The teachers had a different impression of her. This new Samantha was newly born with a whole different attitude, a very docile and pleasing one.

"You look even better without that heavy makeup! Good choice!" one teacher said.

Later, their homeroom teacher also came in, standing in front of the students, she made warm eye contact with each of them and then, with a long narrative and a proud smile:

You know, I just have to share how wonderful it is to see a change in one student today," she began, her voice brimming with surprise and admiration. "Samantha has always been bright, but watching her channel that intelligence into such positive actions has truly been inspiring!"

She took a brief pause, allowing her words to resonate before she continued. "I remember the days when she was always the one pushing boundaries and testing limits," she said with a warm chuckle, her eyes sparkling with those memories.

"But now, she’s truly setting a wonderful example! She’s transformed from someone I often had to remind to stay focused into someone who inspires her classmates to stay on track.

A few chuckles echoed during this moment—it might have seemed like an exaggeration. After all, it was just the second class of the day, and such heartfelt praise was a surprise, wasn’t it?

"That’s not an easy feat, and I hope you all recognize how incredibly proud I am of the Samantha we see today. I’m proud of the person you’re becoming!"

Samantha shifted slightly in her seat, clearly not accustomed to this kind of praise, but the teacher continued, her voice becoming softer and warmer.

"It’s so much more than just following the rules or paying attention in class—though she has done both beautifully," she said.

"It’s wonderful to see how she’s embraced responsibility for her own journey. I truly believe, Samantha, that if you keep following this path, you’re going to become someone others can count on, and that’s such a valuable trait that will guide you far in life. I mentioned my concerns when I noticed your attitude, and I’ll always be here to share my thoughts when I see you ready to turn over a new leaf!"

She smiled, radiating a warmth that came from genuine pride and admiration. "I always knew you had this potential in you. I just wanted to make sure you saw it too!" The compliments didn’t stop there...

"Be like Samantha and pay more attention in class!" This sparked some dissatisfaction among the other students, but throughout the day, the friendly rivalry between the old and new social queens became the buzz of the school, catching the attention of teachers as well.

The hushed whispers filled the classrooms, creating a ripple of excitement and earning more praise for Samantha, who remained focused. The students were simply too eager to immerse themselves in the chatter, finding it more entertaining than their lessons. But later that day, during the third period, something surprising happened that left Samantha in shock!

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