Chapter 63

Chapter 63:

Fernanda couldn’t suppress a sneer as she watched Robert’s expression shift so rapidly. Just moments earlier, he had been seething with anger, ready to tear her down. Now, his face radiated shock and joy, as if he’d just stumbled upon an unimaginable fortune.

Shouldn’t someone his age have learned to control his emotions by now?

Robert’s hand trembled slightly as he clutched the admission letter. He rubbed his eyes over and over, trying to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. His daughter had been accepted into the country’s most prestigious institution—Esaham University.

And not just accepted—she had scored at the top.

“You’re incredible, Fernanda, truly incredible!” Robert exclaimed, his voice shaking with excitement as his eyes grew red with emotion. “You’re honestly my pride.”

He took a few quick steps toward her, as though to embrace her, but Fernanda frowned and instinctively stepped back.

Robert, too overwhelmed with joy to notice her unease, continued grinning from ear to ear.

At the same time, Erika’s face turned a ghostly pale.

She rubbed her eyes repeatedly and stared at the letter in Robert’s hands, blinking in disbelief. Slowly, reality sank in—Fernanda had indeed been accepted.

“No, this can’t be real,” Erika muttered, shaking her head. “This has to be fake.”

“Fake?” Fernanda echoed with a smirk, one brow raised. “Only someone seriously lacking common sense would say that.”

Robert shot back immediately, “Exactly! Who would even think of forging this? Falsifying an admission letter from Esaham University is a crime!”

The more Robert examined the letter, the more elated he became, his joy practically overflowing.

“There was a problem with the school’s system that caused an error in my score,” Fernanda explained calmly. “But today, the dean of Esaham University corrected it and issued this letter. They even published an announcement about it on the school’s official site. If you don’t believe me, check it yourself.”

Without wasting a second, Erika grabbed her phone and frantically searched for Esaham University’s official site. Her hands were trembling so much that she kept typing the wrong letters.

When she finally managed to load the page, her eyes immediately locked onto the announcement at the top. It confirmed that Mabel, a professor, had made an error while entering Fernanda’s score. The university had issued a formal apology to Fernanda and taken disciplinary action against Mabel.

Erika’s heart sank. Mabel was Ava’s aunt.

So Mabel had really been punished. Did that mean her actions had been exposed?

The announcement stated that it was a mistake, not an intentional act. The school was clearly trying to protect its reputation.

Fernanda didn’t mind. As far as she was concerned, the punishment had been dealt, and that was enough.

“Alright, I’ll go upstairs and pack my things,” Fernanda said, turning toward the stairs. “Since I’m supposed to return to the countryside, I need to get my clothes and other belongings together.”

Robert quickly stepped forward and grabbed her arm with a smile. “Fernanda, what are you saying? You don’t have to go back to the countryside anymore.”

Fernanda shot him a look of cold disdain. “Didn’t you just tell me to pack and go? And now you’ve changed your mind?”

“You misunderstood me,” Robert said, waving his hands quickly. “Earlier, I was just worried about all the negative rumors online. I thought you might need a break from the spotlight. That’s why I suggested going to the countryside. But now that you’ve been admitted, those rumors will disappear. There’s no reason for you to leave anymore.”

His tone then hardened with indignation. “I’m going to call those media outlets and demand they apologize to you.”

For a moment, Robert almost seemed like a concerned father. But to Fernanda, it was all crystal clear.

There was no real fatherly love in his actions—only calculation.

Now that she had been accepted into Esaham University, her value had increased in his eyes. Of course, he was treating her better.

Had she failed, he would’ve buried her in shame, wanting nothing more than to ship her off to avoid personal embarrassment.

“Oh, and I’ve arranged a celebration banquet for you. We’ll head there shortly,” Robert added cheerfully, plopping down on the sofa and starting to make phone calls.

“Are you free for a drink at noon? My daughter just got into Esaham University! I promised to treat you,” Robert said, laughing heartily. “Yes, she’s in. There was a small mistake with the score entry, but it’s all been corrected. The dean even delivered the admission letter to Fernanda himself.”

As Robert spoke on the phone, his energy was infectious. His laughter was non-stop, a stark contrast to the gloom Fernanda had seen when she first returned.

Now he looked like a man freshly victorious, as if he himself had been admitted to Esaham University.

Robert called number after number. The awkwardness and embarrassment he had shown earlier, when he was canceling the banquet, had completely vanished—replaced by overwhelming joy and pride.

Watching him celebrate so openly, Erika was nearly grinding her teeth in frustration.

Even when she had been accepted into Luminary University—one of the country’s top ten schools—Robert hadn’t shown this much enthusiasm. He had congratulated her, of course, but not with this level of pride. Not like this, just because she hadn’t made it into the very top school.

Erika’s anger simmered. She had come so close to sending Fernanda back to the countryside. Now all her efforts had gone to waste.

After making calls to all his close friends and important business partners, Robert ended his last call with a satisfied smile.

But just a moment later, he gasped, slapped his forehead, and muttered repeatedly, “I almost forgot the most important person!”

Watching him rush around in a flurry, Michelle tried her best to hide her discomfort, though a trace of jealousy crept into her voice. “Honey, who is it?”

“Of course, my in-laws,” Robert replied as he scrolled through his contacts. “Fernanda will be part of the Harper family. Now that she’s been accepted into Esaham University, they must be so proud. I need to invite them too.”

Erika inhaled deeply, her frustration mounting, a mix of bitterness and helpless rage.

Meanwhile, Robert was too absorbed in his excitement to notice the tension in Michelle’s and Erika’s expressions. His mind was elsewhere, already picturing the looks of envy his friends would give him at the restaurant.

A degree from a prestigious university—especially one like Esaham—wasn’t something money could buy.

What was more, Fernanda had achieved the highest score.

Robert quickly found Martin’s number and dialed it. Martin answered almost immediately.

Robert shared the details of the celebration banquet, and Martin offered warm congratulations to both him and Fernanda. He assured Robert that he and Bobby would attend on time.

Martin’s enthusiasm made Robert feel even more pleased.

“Fernanda, go get some rest and get ready. We’ll head out together at noon,” Robert said after hanging up. “This banquet is for you, so make sure you dress nicely.”

“I’m not going,” Fernanda replied firmly. “I’m not interested.”

“What?” Robert exclaimed, clearly taken aback. “This banquet is for you! You can’t miss it. Besides, Martin’s bringing Bobby along. It would be wrong for you not to show up.”

“Alright, I’ll go then,” Fernanda announced.

She was suddenly curious to see how Bobby would react when he saw her.

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