The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 987

Bolton sat frozen in front of his computer screen, his face shifting from pale to flushed and back again. He was the reigning champion of this year’s hacker tournament. If he lost, it should have been to his idol, the legendary hacker known as N. Not to a girl who was even younger than him.

“I don’t buy it!” he burst out, tilting his head back to glare at Charlotte. His eyes were rimmed red, his pride wounded. “Let’s go again. Best two out of three.”

“No problem,” Charlotte replied, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. She motioned for fresh computers to be brought over.

The room filled with the rapid clicking of keyboards. This time, Bolton was way more careful—he had learned his lesson in the first round. Twenty seconds in, his system held up against her first attack. He was just starting to feel confident when—

“System breached!”

“Vulnerability patched!”

The match-ending alert rang out again. Everyone in the room sucked in a sharp breath, staring at the screens in disbelief.

First round, she cracked his defenses in fifty-nine seconds.

Second round, she did it in thirty.

And on top of that, Nine patched up the system’s flaws as she hacked it.

Bolton shot to his feet, his eyes burning as he stared at Charlotte. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

Charlotte leaned on the table, chin propped up, smirking. “Go cry somewhere else. Next.”

Herman hesitated and then shook his head, deciding not to embarrass himself further. He slipped away, joining Bolton. The two exchanged a glance. Neither said a word, but the awkwardness between them said it all.

The third round was a test of strength. Jacob stepped up right away. After seeing Charlotte dominate the first two rounds, he knew she wasn’t someone to take lightly. He realized that anyone handpicked and trained by Newell was bound to be special.

“If you beat me, the whole match is yours,” Jacob said, standing in front of Charlotte. His expression was serious as he met her gaze. “I won’t hold back. If you’re scared, you can stop now.”

Charlotte just smiled, pulling her cap down and zipping her jacket all the way up. She rolled up her sleeves slowly, her voice calm and steady. “There’s no fear for me. I only know two outcomes. Win or die.”

Jacob felt his chest tighten as he met the sharp, steady look in her eyes. There was something about her—a kind of calm and self-assurance that went way beyond her age. She radiated this powerful, almost intimidating presence. It was like she was untouchable.

Up in the stands, Cedric leaned over and whispered respectfully, “Newell, do you think Nine can take Jacob?”