From Outcast to Overlord . The Unyielding Heir Chapter 13 Victor Lane " Oh my God , what am I seeing ?! " 41 Finished The students in the classroom all stared with wide eyes , completely stunned . Madeline was always the center of attention wherever she went at school . Countless people admired her , and the number of love letters and flowers she received daily was beyond count . Yet , she never acknowledged any of it , always seeming detached , like an otherworldly goddess . Among her admirers , none stood out more than Victor , the school's number - one heartthrob . But even Victor , at best , could exchange a few more words with her or engage in slightly more frequent conversations . There had never been any physical contact between them , and certainly , no one else had the guts to even try . But here came this new guy , boldly stroking Madeline's hair , moving his hand through it like it was the most casual thing in the world . This wasn't just casual contact - it was outright desecration of their goddess . " That guy's gone too far ! " " That jerk ! How dare he do that to her ! " Several boys were furious , itching to teach Leander a lesson . Others , however , watched with smug anticipation , silently mourning Leander's fate . Madeline had always been cold and untouchable , and Leander's audacity surely wouldn't go unpunished . And when Victor , her self- appointed guardian , found out about this , Leander's outcome was bound to be even worse . The only exception was the boy sitting next to Leander , who gave him a thumbs up . Despite Leander's earlier arrogance , the courage to touch Madeline like that earned him some respect . Madeline's body tensed , and her anger rose when she felt someone being handsy . She never expected anyone in the class to be so bold as to treat her with such disrespect . Yet , something about the hand on her head , the gesture - it all felt strangely familiar . With a mix of anger and curiosity , she looked up only to meet a strikingly handsome face . It was a face she didn't quite recognize , but the longer she looked , the more familiar it seemed . Especially those eyes - they stirred a sense of nostalgia . While she was still processing this , Leander grinned . " What's wrong , kiddo ? It's only been a few years ; don't you recognize me anymore ? " His voice was light , teasing , and laced with a familiar affection that made Madeline's eyes widen in shock . After a few moments , her face lit up with joy , and she excitedly grabbed Leander's arm like a child . " Leander ? Is it really you ? " Her reaction froze the atmosphere in the classroom . Everyone had been expecting her to blow up , to unleash her fury on Leander for his inappropriate behavior . But what they saw instead left them utterly speechless . Was this the same cold , aloof Madeline Gardner who always kept 1/3 19:19 Sat , Oct 11 Chapter 13 Victor Lane her distance from the boys ? 41 Finished Just then , another student entered the classroom - a tall , handsome boy who froze the moment he saw what was happening . His expression became rigid , and he stared , speechless , at the scene before him . Meanwhile , Madeline , brimming with joy , couldn't stop looking Leander over . Even though he had changed a lot , she could still make out the familiar features . " It's me , " Leander replied , his tone soft as he patted her head again with a smile . " You've grown up , kiddo . " Now , certain it was Leander , Madeline threw herself into his arms without a second thought , not caring that they were in class . Tears streamed down her cheeks . " Leander , I thought I'd never see you again . There's so much I want to tell you about ! " Leander gently patted her back , a trace of sadness flickering in his eyes . For a 17 - year - old girl to endure so much , to hide behind a cold facade for over two years - it wasn't easy . " It's okay , I'm back now . You can tell me everything ." Madeline had more to say , but the sound of the school bell interrupted her , and she reluctantly let go . Leander gave her a reassuring smile , gesturing for her to focus on class as he returned to his seat in the back row . Countless eyes were now fixed on Leander , all filled with shock . " Dude , what's your story with Madeline ? She just threw herself into your arms like that - I'm seriously impressed ! " Leander's tablemate whispered , eyes wide in amazement . " Man , you've just made school history ! You actually got the ice queen to act like a little girl . If word gets out , the school's gonna blow up ! " Especially Victor - look at his face right now , it's like he's been poisoned . This is priceless , haha ! " Leander followed the guy's gaze and saw a student standing frozen at the classroom door , face twisted with a dark expression , staring at Leander with pure hostility . Leander barely spared him a glance before turning away , uninterested . That guy wasn't even worth his attention . " By the way , the name's Liam Preston . You're one interesting guy , and I'm definitely sticking with you , " the young man said , grinning and introducing himself . Leander smiled faintly . " Leander Ashcroft . " A few minutes later , the homeroom teacher walked in . " Alright , class , I have an announcement 2/3 19:19 Sat , Oct 11 Chapter 13 Victor Lane to make . Today , we'll be welcoming a new student into our class ! " All eyes turned instinctively toward the back of the room . Finished " Ah , it seems our new student is already here . " The teacher noticed the unfamiliar face and smiled . " Why don't you introduce yourself so everyone can get to know you ? " Leander stood up , his voice calm . " I'm Leander Ashcroft , from the countryside . " With that , he sat back down . Both the teacher and his fellow classmates were stunned . Sure , introductions should be brief , but Leander's was too brief . He didn't even mention where in the countryside he was from or anything about his background . It felt like he couldn't care less . After the earlier interaction between Leander and Madeline , the class had been eager to learn more about him , but his vague introduction left them deflated . People like him , who acted so aloof , rarely fit in with the group . And when he said he was from the countryside , it made several people secretly look down on him . Ravenridge had plenty of city folk , and someone like Leander , from the rural outskirts , didn't seem like someone to take seriously . Some of the girls , who had initially been intrigued by his looks , shook their heads , dismissing any thoughts of getting closer to him . In this day and age , looks didn't mean much . In the end , it all came down to family , background , and connections . Being handsome might let one be some sugar mama's boy toy , but it wouldn't get one far in life . Victor , who had been sitting in the front row , slowly relaxed his furrowed brow . From the countryside ? Hmph , I thought he was someone important - so , he's just a bumpkin . Victor had initially viewed Leander as a threat after seeing Madeline's affectionate behavior toward him . But now , he no longer cared . He figured Leander must've known Madeline from way back ; maybe they grew up together in the same village - nothing more than childhood friends . Victor was confident that his charm and abilities would eventually make Madeline see the vast difference between him and Leander . He would show her what a real man was like , a true elite . Leander , a country boy , wasn't even worth competing with . Send Gifts 50 名 3/3