Chapter 122 - Once Upon The Start Of University Life

Everyone at the accounting and finance department was in for a rude awakening after hearing the news that they'd be getting a new department supervisor starting today.

Their previous one had been replaced at a short notice. Nobody had seen this coming. What's more surprising is that nobody also knows who the new team leader is. Some say that it's one of those who've been recently promoted while others say that it's someone who didn't work in Middleton Corporation before.

Questions and speculations are thrown back and forth.

Still, no one gets to guess the right answer in the end.

"Settle down, everyone. We'll now be introducing your new supervisor starting today."

The overall head of the four different departments arrived in their office sometime after all of them finished gathering together.

Most of them are intrigued to know who this is. They must be quite outstanding and remarkable, considering that not just anyone can be a supervisor. Yet as soon as the person in question stepped inside the room, they immediately put aside those kinds of inquiries. They already know who it is, and they're immensely astonished, to say the least.         

Winter made her entrance with grace and elegance, smiling confidently as she went on to greet everybody in the accounting and finance department. 

"Good day to all of you. My name is Winter Middleton. From now on, I'll be your supervisor." 

Their reactions didn't fall short of her expectations.

Tension fills the air around them as they fall in stunned silence. The only thing that can be heard at that moment is the explanation of the overall administrator of the different departments who's apparently oblivious to their issue with this new team leader of theirs.

"Mr. Middleton had assigned Ms. Middleton here. At such a young age, she's already skilled enough to handle one of the company's departments. You can see her exceptional works for yourselves…" went on the explanation that did nothing but put a certain few of them on a tighter spot.   

"Make sure to welcome her. Have a pleasant day."

With that, Winter is left on her own to continue her introduction.

That's when the silence broke a little. Chatters ensue – so do murmurs. Some of them express their protests through their disdainful looks. Others, on the other hand, simply watch what'll happen next from the side. No one greeted her, much less welcomed her.

Obviously, they're not very fond of their new department supervisor.

"I know, I know. You guys don't want me here. We do have quite the backstory, after all…" she pointed out casually, taking them aback and silencing them once more.

"Oh, please no need to restrain yourselves anymore. I already know that some of you were the ones who spread those vile rumors about me being a brat of a spendthrift."

That hit those liars hard. 

Winter finds it satisfying when they went frozen still. 

She didn't ask Cyrus to give her this assignment just to reveal that, though. She'll neither take revenge nor rat them out. Instead, she'll do some major straightening-up. 

Bianca may be the one who's been controlling them, but Winter will make sure that she's the one who's going to discipline them.

"You may not like me, but you do know that I'll be your future boss anyway, right? So, let's all be professional here. That's unless you want to move out of this department." 

---   

Summer vacation eventually came to pass.

Now, it's been a week since university started. 

Winter made it to her first class early as usual. It's a habit she picked up once she realized she had a favorite seat - dead center, three rows from the front.

Students began to filter in as time went on, the shuffling of notebooks and rounds of chatters filling the classroom. For the most part, she tuned them out, focusing on her ritual of organizing and rewriting her notes, which is something she found surprisingly relaxing. Every once in a while, however, she ended up following a conversation without realizing it. 

Slightly behind and to the right of her, a couple of female students lamented their grades on their statistics exam. It wasn't a particularly interesting conversation. But a familiar name caused her to perk up.

"It's hard not to be distracted in that class when I'm sitting next to Ace. He's not only smart, but he's also way too attractive for his own good. Plus, the professor is an old bald dude, so it makes him even sexier by comparison."

Winter brightened up, certain they were talking about her friend. 

'A smart guy who's too attractive for his own good? Yep, definitely him!' 

She knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help it when they were saying nice things about Ace. There was no harm in listening on a little more - if only to collect all their compliments so she could spring them on him later. 

His flustered expression can be adorable sometimes. She's going to have a great time embarrassing him later at lunch when she meets up with him and the others.

"Wait, is he that guy with blonde hair? Kinda tall? Purple eyes?" one of the girls asked.

"Yes! He's so gorgeous that it's no surprise that he's a model!" the other girl groaned in exaggerated frustration. 

Winter stills then.

That can't be right. Ace isn't a model. At least, that's what she knows. But those physical features they described can only be his.

"Sorry to ruin your fantasy, Chloe, but I heard he's dating someone already – this brunette that's around him a lot. I think she might actually be in this class with us."

She's almost sure they're staring at her right now. She can feel them staring. She knows that they really are staring. 

"I did hear, too. I can't believe he's dating her. He's way out of her league."

Right then, Winter had to stop herself from glancing over at them.

She badly wanted to clear up the misunderstanding. But that would only bust her out for eavesdropping. 

"Damn, that's harsh, Chloe. I mean, it's not like she's ugly or anything."

She narrowed her eyes, wondering if that's supposed to be a compliment or what. At that point, they're starting to annoy her. But then, for some reason, she also found herself more offended than she would've wanted. 

"She looks too plain and ordinary. There's nothing special about her at all. She's also so tiny she could probably pass as a little kid. Who would want to date someone like that?"

"Ace, obviously."

"She's probably his first relationship, so he doesn't realize how much better he can do."

Winter slouches in her seat, somewhat despondent. 

She's not feeling this way because they think that Ace should've gone out with someone better than her. They're not even dating. But they commented about how she looks. She never thought much about her appearance before. So, it had to take a while for her to realize she's getting self-conscious.

'Am I… not pretty?'

Winter shook her head, trying to chase away such negative thoughts. 

She stared ahead, trying not to let their words get to her, and as the professor walked in, she focused all her attention on the lecture, her notes – anything but those comments. It worked somehow. Then, before she knew it, classes were dismissed. 

As Winter collected her things, she stole a glance up to the seats where the girls from earlier were sitting. Call it morbid curiosity, but she couldn't help but wonder what they looked like - more specifically, what this 'Chloe' looked like. 

And when she recognized the familiar voice that had spoken such cruel things earlier, she felt her heart drop.

Perfect hair, perfect face, perfect skin, perfect figure – it turned out to be that 'Chloe' who's obsessed with dating Ace before. She's that super famous teen model. It was no wonder she could call anyone ugly so easily. She's absolutely stunning. 

Maybe Chloe did know what she's talking about.

---

"Hey, am I pretty?"

Marcellus paused from his work, nonplussed by the question. 

Winter has paid a visit to his office later that afternoon. She's acting kind of strange. What's even stranger is that those words are the first thing she said upon arriving.   

"Of course you are, Winter…" he said, smiling. 

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met."

That should have been enough for her. But she began to protest before she could stop herself.

"But I'm not tall or curvy. I don't have long wavy hair, and I look like a little kid—"

"Who told you all of that?" he cut her off, his eyes narrowed.

"N-No one," she stuttered, but she didn't sound convincing. 

Marcellus didn't look convinced, either. Winter isn't one to worry about such things, after all.

"Then, who made you believe any of that was true?"

Her lips curve down into a frown. She feels small and stupid under his penetrating gaze. 

"It's just … some girls from my class – well, this one girl in particular. But she's so beautiful, so she would know, right?" she told him nervously. 

"No, she doesn't," he snapped at her. 

She was taken aback but quickly realized his anger wasn't directed at her. Scowling, he then goes on to say, "Winter, you have no reason to listen to some girl who bases her entire personality on being attractive."

'I know that, but still…' Winter thought to herself, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

'When I think about it, even Sir Lexington looks so good that he might be better off liking someone prettier than me.'