The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1583

Shirley stood in the office, hugging the laptop Andrew had given her. She looked so careful, almost like she was holding a treasure, as she waited in front of the desk.

“Have a seat,” Mr. Lane said. He set his briefcase on the table, old eyes crinkling a bit at the corners as he noticed her new device. “You got yourself a new laptop?”

“Yes.” Shirley grinned, genuinely happy about it. She sat down across from him, gently putting the computer on the desk.

She opened her assignment and turned the screen so Mr. Lane could see.

“Not bad at all.” He took the mouse, flipping through a few pages as he nodded, impressed. “This one’s pretty tough. You’ll have to keep working hard though.”

Honestly, even some students in the research institute struggled with this.

He’d only given it to Shirley to see what she could manage. He hadn't really expected much. Now he was realizing her talent for physics was something else entirely.

But as that thought crossed his mind, Mr. Lane’s smile faded. He looked a lot more serious all of a sudden.

“Shirley.”

She looked up at him, her face still beaming from the praise. “Yes, Mr. Lane?”

“The university selected both you and Karan for the MIT exchange program.”

She nodded. “Okay.” Her gut told her where this was heading, so she just waited for him to continue.

“Karan’s a senior. She knows the material inside and out.” Mr. Lane’s voice was steady, but honest. “If I’m being straight with you, your chances at winning the spot aren’t very high.”

Shirley smiled, completely at ease. “I know, Mr. Lane. Karan’s won so many competitions already. Everyone knows how impressive she is. I understand where I stand. I don’t have any unrealistic expectations.”

Mr. Lane gave her a small, relieved smile. “That’s the right attitude. Just do your best. Karan is exceptional, and sharing a lab with her is a chance to learn a lot. If you run into something you don’t get, make sure you ask her.”

“I will.”

Thinking about Karan made Shirley’s mood dip a little, but she didn’t let it show.

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