chapter 96 middle woman

The Advisor's Arrogance—Extended Scene

The classroom was silent for a moment. The advisor stood still, her sharp eyes locked onto Ethan and Kaya as if she were studying two specimens in a failed experiment.

Ethan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. Kaya, on the other hand, was still casually scrolling through her phone, seemingly unbothered by the woman's presence.

The advisor took a deep breath and exhaled dramatically, her lips pressing together into a thin, disapproving line.

"You two really don't care, do you?"

Her voice was dripping with condescension, as if she was talking to children who had just disappointed their entire family.

Kaya didn't even glance up from her phone. "Care about what?"

The advisor's face twitched.

"About your future! About your education! About—"

She suddenly paused, as if realizing something. Her gaze narrowed, scanning both of them closely.

Ethan could already guess what she was about to say.

"You're both… the same type, aren't you?"

She tilted her head slightly, almost intrigued.

"Reckless. Aimless. The kind who think rules don't apply to them. The kind who think they're smarter than everyone else."

Ethan grinned.

"You sound scared."

The advisor's expression darkened instantly.

"Scared? Of what? Two failures who can't even pass their classes?"

Ethan's grin didn't fade. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe scared of people who don't play by the rules."

The advisor stiffened.

She wasn't used to this. She was used to students lowering their heads, making excuses, looking guilty. But these two—they weren't reacting at all.

It irritated her.

"Let me make this clear," she said, her voice now cold. "You both have already thrown away your futures. You've failed four subjects. Do you think life is a joke? Do you think you can just wander around, wasting time, and everything will work out for you?"

Kaya finally looked up, tilting her head.

"Seems to be working just fine so far."

Ethan chuckled.

The advisor's jaw clenched.

"You think you're smart, don't you?" she said, her voice tight. "You think you're special. That you're above everyone else. Let me tell you something. The world doesn't care about you. The moment you leave this place, reality will crush you."

She leaned in slightly, her glasses catching the light, making her eyes look even sharper.

"You'll be nothing. Nobodies. If you're lucky, you'll be another worker bee, working for scraps until you die. If you're unlucky, you'll be begging for food in the streets. Either way, you're both doomed."

Silence.

Ethan just watched her.

Kaya? She had already gone back to scrolling.

The advisor expected a reaction. Some anger. Some guilt. Maybe even fear.

But all she got was boredom.

Her fingers twitched slightly in frustration.

Finally, she took a deep breath and stepped back.

"Pathetic," she spat.

Then she turned sharply and stormed out of the room, her heels clicking loudly against the floor, each step echoing with her frustration.

The door slammed shut.

For a few seconds, there was silence.

Then—

"Well. That was entertaining." Ethan stretched lazily, acting as if the whole thing had just been a mild inconvenience.

Kaya sighed, not even looking up. "I think I just lost brain cells."

Ethan grinned.

If only that advisor knew—he wasn't just some failing student. And he sure as hell wasn't going to be a corporate slave.

The Advisor's Sudden Change—A Tempting Offer

Ethan and Kaya had barely gotten up from their seats when the classroom door creaked open again.

The advisor, who had stormed out just moments ago, was now walking back in—but this time, something was different.

Her sharp, judgmental gaze was gone. Instead, she wore a carefully neutral expression, her lips slightly curved into what could almost be considered a smile.

Ethan and Kaya exchanged a glance.

The same woman who had just insulted them mercilessly was now standing before them with a composed and pleasant demeanor.

"I've been thinking," the advisor said, her tone much softer than before. "Maybe I was a bit too harsh earlier. You two might not be the most… studious, but that doesn't mean you don't have potential."

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

Kaya sighed, looking at her phone. "Get to the point."

The advisor pretended not to hear that.

Instead, she stepped closer, folding her arms.

"I have an offer for you."

Ethan leaned back against the desk, arms crossed. "Oh? Do tell."

The advisor's smile widened just a little.

"I happen to have some connections with a company called Pink Solutions."

The moment Ethan heard that name, his expression froze for a split second.

Pink Solutions.

In his previous life, that company was a corporate nightmare.

They lured students in with decent salaries and promises of a stable future, only to trap them in contracts that were practically modern slavery.

And he knew that better than anyone.

Because in his last life… he had fallen for it.

The advisor continued, unaware of Ethan's darkening expression.

"Pink Solutions is currently looking for young talent. They prefer hiring students before they even graduate—it gives them time to mold them into valuable employees."

She turned her gaze to Kaya.

"You mentioned earlier that you wanted good income, right? Pink Solutions offers a starting salary of 5,000 credits per month."

Kaya finally looked up. "Huh. That's a lot."

The advisor nodded eagerly, sensing interest.

"It is. And if you perform well, there are bonuses. Promotions. You could be making 10,000 credits a month within a year."

Ethan stayed silent, his fingers tapping lightly against the desk.

Kaya, on the other hand, seemed to be considering it.

The advisor took this as a sign to push further.

"I can personally recommend you both," she said smoothly. "Normally, students have to go through an application process, interviews, and months of waiting. But if you accept my offer, I can have you working there in less than a week."

Kaya tilted her head. "And what do you get out of this?"

The advisor let out a light laugh, shaking her head.

"Nothing much. Just the satisfaction of guiding students toward success."

Ethan nearly laughed out loud.

What complete bullshit.

He knew exactly what she was after.

Pink Solutions paid referral bonuses.

For every student she lured in, she'd probably get a hefty sum.

And once they signed that contract, they'd be trapped.

Ethan exhaled through his nose, keeping his face neutral.

"5,000 credits sounds like a good deal," he admitted, glancing at Kaya.

She nodded slowly. "It does."

The advisor smiled. "Then—"

Ethan interrupted her with a chuckle.

"But it's funny."

The advisor blinked. "What is?"

Ethan met her gaze, his expression mocking.

"A few minutes ago, you were telling us we'd be nothing but beggars in the streets. And now? You're offering us a golden ticket."

The advisor's smile twitched.

Kaya smirked. "Yeah, that's kind of weird, don't you think?"

The advisor quickly recovered, waving a hand.

"I was simply trying to motivate you earlier. Sometimes, students need a push."

Ethan chuckled again. "Right. A push."

He knew her type.

She thought she was smarter than them. That they'd jump at the first chance to grab a stable income.

In his past life, he might have.

But not this time.

Kaya stretched. "So, let me get this straight. You want us to sign up with Pink Solutions, work there, and make money. That's it?"

The advisor nodded eagerly. "Yes. It's a great opportunity—"

Ethan suddenly stood up, smiling.

"Nah. Not interested."

The advisor's smile instantly dropped.

Kaya let out a fake sigh. "Damn. And here I thought I'd finally get rich. But I guess I'll pass too."

The advisor's face twisted for a second, her carefully crafted pleasant demeanor cracking.

"You're making a mistake," she said, her voice losing its warmth.

Ethan shrugged. "Maybe. But it's my mistake to make."

Kaya grinned. "And mine too."

The advisor's hands curled into fists, her frustration visible.

Ethan could tell she was fuming inside.

But she couldn't force them.

With one last sharp look, she turned and marched out of the room, her steps heavy with irritation.

The moment the door closed behind her—

Kaya laughed.

"Wow. She really thought we'd fall for that."

Ethan smirked. "People like her always think they're smarter than everyone else."

Kaya put her phone away. "Pink Solutions, huh? You know something about them?"

Ethan's eyes darkened slightly.

"More than I'd like to."

Kaya raised an eyebrow but didn't press.

Ethan, on the other hand, was already thinking ahead.

This life, he wouldn't be trapped by them.

But maybe…

Maybe he could turn the tables on them instead.