Ella POV:
Okay, I'll admit it—I knew that dropping out of the competition might look crazy. I'd come this far, and I was so close to winning. But come on, could anyone really blame me? How was I supposed to start my career with a reputation tainted by whispers of favoritism? That contract wasn't just a piece of paper. It was the foundation of my future, my chance to prove that I could make it in the cutthroat world of business. And yet, as soon as people saw Jason sitting next to me in class, I could already feel the judgment forming.
