Chapter 48: her turn

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: her turn

Mrs. Bennett waited until Anthony had taken the seat prepared beside her before addressing the class once more.

"Now then."

"I believe we can begin."

She rested one hand lightly on the stack of proposal sheets.

"As everyone remembers, your assignment from last week was to prepare one fundraising proposal that could realistically support the Foundation’s future outreach initiatives."

"Our goal isn’t simply to raise money."

"It’s to build sustainable relationships with the communities we serve."

"So today, I’d like to hear your ideas."

She smiled warmly.

"There are no perfect answers."

"We’re here to learn."

The atmosphere relaxed ever so slightly.

Several freshmen exchanged nervous glances.

Others quietly reviewed the notes they’d prepared.

Vivienne looked down at her own notebook.

She had rewritten her proposal three times during the week.

Not because she lacked confidence.

Because she wanted it to be practical.

Realistic.

Useful.

Mrs. Bennett looked around the room.

"Who would like to volunteer first?"

Silence.

Several students immediately avoided eye contact.

One young man became deeply interested in his notebook.

Another suddenly found the ceiling fascinating.

Mrs. Bennett laughed knowingly.

"I expected this."

She picked up the attendance sheet instead.

"In that case..."

"We’ll go alphabetically."

A collective groan spread through the classroom.

Even Anthony smiled faintly.

Mrs. Bennett adjusted her glasses.

"Ms. Vivienne Beaumont."

Vivienne froze.

"..."

Claire looked sideways.

"...You’re first."

Of course she was.

Her surname began with B.

Vivienne closed her notebook.

Took a quiet breath.

Then stood.

As she walked toward the front of the classroom, she became acutely aware of something she had tried very hard not to think about.

Anthony was sitting only a few steps away.

Observing.

Listening.

Somewhere behind her...

She thought she heard Damian murmur softly,

"Good luck."

She didn’t turn around.

Instead, she offered the smallest nod in acknowledgment before continuing forward.

Mrs. Bennett smiled encouragingly.

"No need to be nervous, Lady Beaumont."

"Take your time."

Vivienne stood before the class.

For the briefest moment...

She looked out across the room.

Claire smiled reassuringly.

Amelia discreetly gave her a tiny thumbs-up beneath the desk.

Eleanor offered an almost imperceptible nod.

Evelyn sat quietly, notebook already open, prepared to listen.

Damian leaned back in his chair with an easy smile, looking far more confident in her abilities than she currently felt.

And beside Mrs. Bennett...

Anthony had just opened the notebook resting before him.

This would be the first proposal he heard that morning.

Strangely...

That made her even more determined.

Vivienne took one slow breath.

Then another.

She opened her notebook.

"My proposal..."

"My proposal..."

"...focuses on building long-term partnerships with local businesses instead of relying solely on one-time fundraising drives."

Several students looked up.

Vivienne continued.

"When people hear the word ’fundraising,’ they usually think of asking for money."

"But I don’t think money is the only meaningful thing people can give."

She paused briefly.

"A bakery may not always be able to make a large financial donation."

"But at the end of each day..."

"They often have fresh bread that was never sold."

"Rather than allowing it to be discarded..."

"The Foundation could arrange to collect it and distribute it through our community partners."

A few students immediately began writing notes.

Vivienne’s voice gradually grew steadier.

"The same idea applies elsewhere."

"A bookstore may have books that are no longer part of its regular inventory."

"A tailor might have leftover fabric."

"A florist may have flowers that are still beautiful but no longer suitable for sale the following morning."

"We’re not asking them to produce more."

"We’re not asking them to spend more."

"We’re simply asking whether something that would otherwise go unused..."

"...could become valuable to someone else."

The classroom had become noticeably quieter.

"If every business contributes only what it can comfortably spare..."

"Then no single person bears a heavy burden."

"But together..."

"The community gains something meaningful."

She looked toward Mrs. Bennett.

"I believe the Foundation’s greatest strength isn’t simply providing assistance."

"It’s connecting people."

"So rather than asking businesses to become donors..."

"We invite them to become partners."

"The Foundation becomes the bridge."

"We connect people who have a little extra..."

"...with people who need it."

She smiled gently.

"I think lasting relationships are more valuable than a single successful fundraiser."

Silence settled over the room.

Not an awkward silence.

A thoughtful one.

Mrs. Bennett regarded her for several moments before speaking.

"...An interesting proposal."

"You’ve approached fundraising from a different perspective."

She nodded slowly.

"Rather than focusing on collecting more..."

"You’ve focused on making better use of what already exists."

Vivienne inclined her head.

"Yes, Professor."

Mrs. Bennett turned toward Anthony.

"My lord?"

"We would appreciate hearing the Foundation’s perspective."

Anthony closed the notebook in front of him.

He had written far more than Vivienne expected.

His gaze rested on her for only a brief moment before naturally returning to the room.

"It’s a practical proposal."

He spoke calmly.

"We often think of charity in terms of financial donations."

"But Lady Beaumont’s proposal reminds us that communities possess many kinds of resources."

He paused thoughtfully.

"Food."

"Materials."

"Services."

"All of them have value."

"If the Foundation can successfully coordinate those resources..."

"The impact could be considerable."

He gave a small nod.

"I believe it’s an idea worth exploring further."

Vivienne blinked.

She hadn’t expected him to comment.

Much less...

To agree.

Warmth quietly spread across her cheeks.

She lowered her eyes before anyone could notice.

Mrs. Bennett smiled with obvious satisfaction.

"Excellent."

"I believe that’s exactly the sort of discussion we hoped today’s session would inspire."

Vivienne bowed politely before returning to her seat.

Only after she sat down did she realize her palms were damp.

She quietly let out the breath she’d been holding.

Behind her...

A familiar voice spoke softly enough that only she could hear.

"...That was a very good proposal."

Vivienne turned slightly.

"...Really?"

Damian nodded once.

"It was practical."

"And more importantly..."

"It felt achievable."

He smiled.

"I liked it."

For a brief moment...

Vivienne simply looked at him.

"...Thank you."

Then Damian’s smile widened ever so slightly.

"...Though I expected nothing less."

Vivienne blinked before letting out a small, amused laugh.

"...Well."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence."

Damian chuckled quietly.

"I was only stating a fact."

Before either of them could say another word, Mrs. Bennett looked back down at the attendance sheet.

"Next..."

She adjusted her glasses.

"Mr. Alden Crawford."

A young man near the center of the classroom looked up in surprise before hurrying to the front with a stack of neatly organized notes.

Vivienne settled back into her seat.

The nervousness she’d carried all morning had finally begun to fade.

Now...

She could simply listen.

And somewhere in the back of her mind...

A quiet thought lingered.

Lady Evelyn Sinclair.

If I remember correctly...

Her proposal was the one selected in the original story.

Vivienne glanced briefly toward Evelyn.

The other young lady sat calmly, reviewing her notes with the same composed expression as always.

...I wonder if it’ll be the same this time.

The thought stayed with her as the next presentation began.