Marry Ex's Billionaire Uncle After Divorce (Aurora and Jasper) novel Chapter 112

< Chapter 77 Exam

Chapter 77: Exam

(Aurora’s POV)

Claim

The vice principal – a woman who’d come in with Joyce’s group – stepped forward before Sayer could respond. “I think we can be flexible here. The entrance exam is the day after tomorrow. If the student meets our standard threshold and places in the top fifteen percent, there’s no reason we can’t consider an exception.”

Sayer looked between them, then at Leo, then at me. “Top fifteen percent,” he said. “If the score is there, we’ll make it work.”

Leo lifted his head. “I’ll be there.”

We wrapped up the meeting shortly after. Joyce had moved to the far side of the room to speak with the other administrators. I caught her eye as I gathered Leo’s documents, and I gave her a polite nod.

She nodded back.

I didn’t push for more.

Outside, Leo and I walked through the front gates and onto the pavement.

“That woman,” Leo said. “You know her?”

“She’s someone I helped a few weeks ago. I didn’t know she had history with the school.” I paused. “I think her name being in the room helped, even if she didn’t say much directly.”

Leo was quiet for a moment. “Do you think I’ll get in?”

“Do you think you can place in the top fifteen percent of a freshman placement exam?”

He almost smiled. “Aurora. I’ve already taught myself the full three-year curriculum. I was planning to sit the SAT next year.”

I stopped walking. “You what?”

“I had nothing to do in the hospital except read. The nurses kept bringing me books. I got through the whole sequence.” He looked at me with that particular expression he had – the one that was trying not to look smug and failing slightly. “A placement exam for incoming ninth graders isn’t going to be a problem.”

I looked at him for a long moment.

“Okay,” I said. “Then spend the next two days reviewing. Don’t get overconfident. Get a good

< Chapter 77 Exam

night’s sleep before the exam.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I mean it about the sleep.”

“I know you do.”

Claim

I flagged down a cab. He climbed in beside me, and I felt something settle – not quite relief, not quite pride, but something close to both.

On the morning of the exam, I drove with Martha to drop Leo off at the school gates.

Leo was bright-eyed and calm. He had his pencils, his ID, and a granola bar he’d grabbed from the kitchen counter on the way out. He looked like a person who had already decided how the day was going to go.

“Good luck,” I said.

“Don’t need it.” He grinned and headed through the gates.

Martha watched him go. Then she turned to me and said, “I’m not going home.”

“Mom-”

“There’s a coffee shop on the corner. I’ll sit there and wait.” She was already digging in her bag for her phone. “It’s three hours. I’ll be fine.”

I knew better than to argue when she used that tone. “He’ll be done by noon. Come back then.”

I left her to it and flagged down a cab for myself. The school gates shrank behind the rear window as we pulled away.

(Author’s POV)

Neither of them noticed the red sports car parked in the shade further down the street.

The person inside had watched the whole thing – the drop-off, the goodbyes, Leo disappearing through the school gates, Aurora climbing into her cab. They watched until both women were gone.

Then they picked up their phone and made a call.

I checked my phone four times before noon.

The lab project had moved into its critical phase by early afternoon, and Director Harrison

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< Chapter 77- Exam

Claim

needed everyone focused. I put my phone face-down on the bench and told myself Leo was fine. He’d walked into that exam room calm and prepared. He knew the material cold.

I still checked it again at two o’clock.

By the time the afternoon session wrapped up, I was already pulling off my lab coat. I grabbed my bag, glanced at the screen, and stopped.

Five missed calls. All from Martha.

I typed a quick message to Phineas – *Leo’s exam situation, going to Mom’s, don’t wait on dinner* – and walked out.

Martha was at the door before I’d even knocked.

“Where have you been?” She pulled me inside without waiting for an answer. “I called you five times. Five. Your brother came out of that exam room with red eyes and you couldn’t pick up your phone?”

“I was in the lab. What happened?”

“What happened is that school accused him of cheating.” Her voice climbed. “They called him into the office like he was some kind of criminal. He came out of that hallway looking like – I don’t even want to describe it. My heart nearly stopped.”

“Mom-”

“You knew he couldn’t handle stress like this. You knew it. He just had surgery. His emotions can’t take these kinds of shocks, and you sent him in there anyway, and now look-”

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