Chapter 31: Return Of Jayden Vance

THE ENTERTAINMENT CHALLENGE

"Your task is to plan and organise an event that attracts students from across Aurelius Academy. You will receive an allocated budget, and your group must use it to create an experience that people will genuinely want to attend."

She began explaining the requirements.

"First, you must choose a theme. It could be a masquerade ball, a luxury rooftop party, a music festival, a poolside celebration, or anything else you believe will attract an audience. However, originality will be part of your assessment."

A few students nodded.

"Second, you must sell tickets or manage registered attendance. Your group must attract at least one hundred attendees. Failure to meet this requirement results in automatic failure."

She moved to the next point.

"Third, you must spend at least seventy percent of your allocated budget on the event. Any group that fails to meet this requirement will receive a twenty-point deduction. You are expected to demonstrate that you can manage money properly, not simply hoard it."

Morales raised an eyebrow. ’’Interesting.’

"Fourth, your event must feature at least three approved entertainment activities. These could include live musical performances, dance competitions, games, fashion showcases, talent performances, or other activities that will keep your guests entertained. Missing any one of these requirements will result in a thirty-point deduction."

She paused to let them absorb the information.

"Fifth, you must attract at least one recognised campus personality or influential guest. And I want to make something clear."

Her eyes moved across the classroom.

"Inviting your friends and calling them influential guests will not work. Your group must secure the attendance of someone whose presence carries genuine significance within this university."

She tapped the iPad again.

"Naturally, I expect you to aim higher than that. Students from the Imperial Class should be your primary targets. Getting one of them to attend your event will demonstrate that you understand how to attract influential people."

Several students immediately began whispering.

The Imperial Class consisted of the academy’s most exceptional students. Their wealth, family connections, and academic achievements placed them above the other classes. Getting their attention wouldn’t be easy, most especially the seniors.

Victoria continued. "Finally, every member of your group must participate. No one is allowed to sit back while the others do all the work. Individual contributions will be assessed, and anyone who refuses to participate will receive an individual failing grade."

She changed the slide once more, she looked directly at the students. Her expression became more serious.

"However, there is one consequence that should concern you more than the others. Any group that fails to meet the minimum requirements will receive zero for the entire examination, regardless of how well they perform in the other areas."

A few students shifted in their seats.

"That means you could spend two days organising an extravagant event, attract hundreds of people, and still walk away with zero if you fail to satisfy the mandatory conditions."

She allowed the silence to settle. "Your academic records will reflect that failure. You will also lose access to certain academy privileges for the semester. And remember Rule Six? If your performance contributes to the Prestige Class failing to meet its required academic standard, you may all find yourselves repeating the year."

The classroom went quiet, Victoria gave a small smile. "Now that I’ve made the consequences clear, let’s see who will be working together."

She picked up her iPad and began reading from the list. "Group One. Adrian Cross, Isabella Moore, Nathaniel Brooks, Evelyn Hart, and Lucas Reed."

The students began moving their chairs and exchanging greetings. Victoria continued calling out names, assigning students to different groups.

Morales wasn’t particularly interested until he heard his own. "Group Seven. Morales Brown."

He lifted his head. "Cristopher Goodman." His eyebrows rose slightly. "Emma Bentley , Alexander Thorne." A young man with neatly styled dark hair raised his hand. "And finally, Amelie Wade."

Morales turned towards the girl who had just responded to her name.

She had long brown hair, delicate features, and an observant pair of eyes. He recognised her almost immediately. She was the girl who had witnessed his encounter with the bulky student during the examination.

She had also been among the students who saw how he handled the situation when the crowd flooded into the simulated city.

Their eyes met briefly.

She gave him a small, curious smile before looking away. ’So she’s in my group.’ Morales leaned back.

Thrn he found a message from an unknown number.

Unknown Number: Miss me?

Morales frowned, another message appeared.

Unknown Number: I’m back, Brown. And I’ll make your life miserable until you beg me to let you get expelled peacefully, or if at all I’ll kill you for what you did and those two pretty ladies with you, I’ll fuck them till I have no use for them again and dispose thier bodies down the ocean.

His expression changed.

For a moment, he simply stared at the screen, "who the fuck is this?" He muttered under his breath.

A name came in his head. Jayden Vance.

’What the fuck?’ His fingers tightened around the phone. ’How is he back here?’

Jayden had been taken away after the incident during the final examination. He had kidnapped Chloe, threatened Sophia, and nearly gotten himself into serious trouble. Morales had personally watched the academy’s security personnel take him away.

So how the hell had he returned? ’How did he even get back into Aurelius?’ Money? That was the only explanation Morales could think of.

Jayden’s family had enough influence and financial power to make things disappear. Apparently, even a kidnapping incident wasn’t enough to keep him away from the academy. Morales slowly lowered his phone.

"But the rule in this school is strict and no matter how rich you are, you can’t force your way in with money, if this happened then maybe someone is fucking helping him to want to fuck me up. Shit. So much for keeping my head low."

He had expected Jayden to cause trouble eventually. He simply hadn’t expected him to return so soon.But he wasn’t sure yet if the unknown user was Jayden yet until....

At the front of the classroom, Instructor Victoria was still checking her list. "One more person," she said, glancing at the screen of another. "Jayden Vance."

Nobody responded, Victoria looked up. "Jayden Vance?" The classroom remained silent. She frowned slightly. "Is he absent?"

Before anyone could answer, the classroom door suddenly swung open. The sound drew everyone’s attention. A young man stood in the doorway.

His uniform looked more expensive than the others since it has this high quality type of tailoring, a luxury watch, and a confident expression that seemed almost permanently fixed on his face.

His dark hair was neatly styled, and his eyes moved across the classroom with the casual arrogance of someone who believed he belonged above everyone else.

His presence was unmistakable. It was Jayden Vance. He stepped inside, allowing the door to close behind him. There was something malicious about his expression, something that made his otherwise polished appearance feel unpleasant.

He carried himself with the imposing arrogance of a wealthy young man who had never been accustomed to hearing the word no.

His gaze eventually settled on Instructor Victoria.

"Looking for me, Instructor Victoria?"

The classroom fell silent. Victoria stared at him over her glasses. "Mr. Vance," she said, her voice noticeably colder. "You’re late."

Jayden gave her a charming smile. "My apologies. I had some matters to attend to."

His eyes shifted. And then he found Morales, the smile on his face widened. Morales didn’t return it.

He simply stared at him, wondering how much trouble this bastard intended to cause.

Jayden walked further into the classroom, his expensive shoes clicking against the floor. "Well," he said, still looking at Morales, "it’s good to see familiar faces." And he turned to Morales again.

Morales’s phone vibrated again. He glanced down.

Jayden Vance: I hope you enjoyed your little victory, Brown. This time, things will be different.

Morales locked his phone and slipped it into his pocket.

’Fine.’ He leaned back in his chair, his expression returning to normal. ’Let’s see how much trouble you can actually cause.’