Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life
Chapter 1029

In the bustling halls of Maple Grove University, a storm was brewing in Mr. Blake's office.

"Mr. Blake, I need to know why my internship grade is a 59!" Cynthia burst in, bypassing any formalities like knocking, and smacked a heap of papers onto his desk. Her cheeks were flushed with anger, reminiscent of a puffed-up steamed bun.

At Maple Grove University, grades were a mix of internship, participation, and assignment scores, with internships making up a hefty forty percent. For the first-year med students, this meant crafting a medical paper on a specified topic. Unfortunately for Cynthia, Mr. Blake was the one overseeing this year's assessments.

He was notorious for wielding his power over who passed and who didn't. Cynthia had worried he'd mark her down out of spite, and it seemed her fears were justified. A 59-just one point shy of passing-felt more like a calculated jab than an evaluation.

Mr. Blake, deep in the throes of grading, glanced up with evident irritation. His eyes held nothing but disdain as they met Cynthia's fiery gaze. "A university student should know better than to barge in unannounced. And yelling at your professor? Truly lacking in manners," he sneered. "Such poor upbringing."

He ignored her simmering glare and glanced at the papers. "Some pass, others fail. If you didn't make the cut, perhaps you should take a long, hard look at yourself. A whole semester's work and this is what you produce?"

Ellie, who had overheard the exchange from the hallway, entered the room with a laugh. "If Cynthia's work is trash, then no one in our class can write anything worthwhile, since she's always been in the top five."

Mr. Blake's façe tightened at the

sight of Ellie. After clashing with

Flora, he had done his homework on Cynthia and Ellie's backgrounds. Cynthia was an easy target with her modest family background. Ellie, however, was untouchable, with influential connections in Maple Grove.

"What are you doing here? Leave!" Mr. Blake snapped, though he didn't dare to challenge Ellie outright. Her presence only fueled his irritation.

"Mr. Blake, we all know why you're giving Cynthia a hard time," Ellie said, standing firmly beside Cynthia. "You're jealous of Flora-jealous that she's achieved so much while you're still an associate professor in your

thirties."

Mr. Blake's face reddened at the remark, anger boiling beneath his composed exterior. Ellie continued, "In both academics and character, you're not even a shadow of Flora. Comparing you to her is an insult to her." "Shut up!" Mr. Blake roared, slamming his hand on the desk, each word from Ellie hitting him where it hurt.

Ellie smiled at his outburst. "There's still time to change Cynthia's grade before it goes into the system. Cynthia isn't someone you can push around, and the Haines family isn't one to mess with."

Mr. Blake chuckled dismissively at

the mention of the Haines family. He knew Cynthia's family was ordinary hardly something to fear. "The grade stands as it is. I won't change it," he said calmly. "Cynthia has failed, and no amount of griping will alter that. I'm the teacher, and you're the students."

"And with Flora being such a good friend, why hasn't she come to defend you?" He added with a smirk, "Choosing the right friends is crucial. Good friends clear the path, while bad ones just drag you down."