The room fell silent after Alexander and Selene's conversation, leaving behind a palpable tension. Beatrice, sensing an opportunity to assert her position, turned to Selene with a measured, warm smile. "Selene, let me introduce you to my twins, Cassandra and Charlse," she said, gesturing toward the teenagers seated beside her. "Cassandra is the elder of the two. They're both in their first year of high school."
Selene's gaze settled on the twins, her smile remaining courteous. Cassandra's eyes flickered with a shadow of something—jealousy, perhaps—but she quickly masked it with a neutral expression. Charles seemed disinterested, his gaze wandering aimlessly.
Beatrice continued, her voice maintaining a light, almost casual tone. "I heard you've achieved first place in the semester exams for the entire city. That's impressive, Selene. Cassandra and Charlse, however, aren't quite as academically inclined.
They only managed to rank in the top ten of their grade." She chuckled softly, a hint of self-deprecation in her laughter. "Since they're your siblings, I hope you'll look out for them. They may be older, but they're not as mature or accomplished as you. Perhaps it would be beneficial for us all if you attended the same cram school, so you could bond and get to know each other better."
Alexander's eyebrows raised slightly at Beatrice's suggestion, and he shot her a look of surprise and discomfort. Before he could interject, Selene's calm voice broke the silence. "Auntie, I don't attend cram school."
Beatrice's expression shifted to one of confusion. "Oh? Do you have a tutor at home?"
Selene's eyes sparkled with a touch of amusement as she kept her demeanor polite. "No, Auntie. I study on my own."
Beatrice's smile wavered, and she glanced at Alexander for clarification. He cleared his throat and addressed Beatrice, his tone matter-of-fact. "Selene's right. Lisandra trained her to be independent. She learned to study on her own, and if she encounters anything she doesn't understand, she either consults her teachers, looks it up online, or seeks assistance from others. She doesn't have a tutor."
Beatrice forced a laugh, though it was strained and nervous. "Well, it seems Selene is exceptionally smart, to manage all her studies independently."
Selene responded with a modest smile, but before the conversation could progress further, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen, recognizing the caller. "Dad, Amber is calling me. I'll take this in my room," she said, excusing herself.
Alexander's curiosity was piqued. "Amber Wu? From the Wu family?"
"Yes, Dad," Selene confirmed as she stood up.
Alexander continued, his curiosity evident. "But isn't she a year ahead of you? How did you two become acquainted?"
Selene smiled gently. "We're not really friends. I just met her at the restaurant earlier. She asked for my number and mentioned she'd get in touch later. I'll answer her call now, if that's alright?"
Alexander nodded, "Go ahead."
As Selene ascended the stairs, her phone to her ear, Alexander's gaze followed her until she was out of sight. He turned back to Beatrice, his expression serious.
"Next school term, the twins will be transferring to Selene's school. You need to arrange for tutors to ensure they don't embarrass me with their scores. I don't expect them to top the entire grade, but they should at least rank in the top ten."
Beatrice nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. Cassandra's dissatisfaction was apparent, and Alexander's eyes narrowed at her.
"What's with that attitude? You wanted to transfer to Selene's school, and I granted your request. Now that you're getting what you wanted, you need to put in the effort."
Alexander's stern tone left no room for argument, and he left the room in frustration. Beatrice, sensing the growing tension, stood and addressed Cassandra firmly. "Come with me."
Cassandra followed her mother into a private room, her resentment barely contained. Once inside, Beatrice closed the door and, without warning, slapped Cassandra across the face. Cassandra's eyes widened in shock, her hand instinctively reaching up to her cheek.
"What's with your attitude?" Beatrice hissed, her voice low and threatening. "Didn't I tell you never to reveal this side of yourself to your father? The jealousy and insecurity you displayed towards Selene—it was glaringly obvious, and your father noticed. Your behavior has surely affected his perception of you."
Tears brimmed in Cassandra's eyes, but Beatrice continued relentlessly. "I instructed you to act like a dutiful and loving daughter. If you can't outperform Selene academically, you must at least behave better than her.
Present yourself as more competent and appealing in your father's eyes. With the way you acted earlier, you've only underscored your inferiority compared to Selene. Even I can't find fault with her—she's smart, beautiful, and considerate towards your father. Do you grasp how challenging this makes things for us?"
Cassandra nodded silently, her tears now flowing freely. Beatrice's anger eventually subsided, and she placed a calming hand on Cassandra's shoulder. "You need to get yourself together and act properly. We can't afford any more mistakes."
"Hidden Jealousy" is a fitting choice for the chapter title.
It points to the underlying envy that Cassandra feels toward Selene, which becomes apparent through her reactions and behavior. Despite trying to mask her feelings, her jealousy is evident to those around her, creating tension within the family.