The Wife You Buried Is Back from Hell novel Chapter 376

Danielle ruffled Niki’s hair. “Winning isn’t everything, sweetheart. These competitions are all about taking part and enjoying yourself.”

Niki shook her head. “That won’t do, Mom. You always take first place in your competitions, so I have to get first, too. I don’t want to embarrass you—especially with Raffy here today.”

She was determined to prove herself.

Danielle gave a helpless laugh and gently pinched Niki’s cheek. “You’re so little, but that competitive streak of yours is something else.”

—

The competition officially began, and all the kids took their seats, ready for the test.

The first round was a written exam, followed by a physics experiment in the second round.

For the written test, Niki and Raffy sat side by side in the same row. Jarvis was up front by himself. In the audience, Leanne and Millie sat together, cheering Raffy on.

Raffy glanced toward the seats. “Mom! Dad! I’m definitely getting first place!”

Alexander smiled back at him, warm and encouraging.

Niki couldn’t help glancing at her own dad. Alexander tilted his head and caught her gaze, the smile still lingering on his lips.

Niki pressed her lips together, then quickly looked for her mom behind her.

Danielle flashed her a thumbs-up for encouragement.

The competition began in earnest, with every child hunched over their test, pencils flying.

In the audience, Danielle watched Niki intently as she tackled the questions. Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“Excuse me—I heard you lent Jarvis your phone?”

The speaker was an elderly gentleman, hair silver and wispy, easily in his late seventies.

“Yes,” Danielle replied. “It was nothing, really.”

She didn’t think it was a big deal—certainly not something that required a personal thank you from a parent.

The old man smiled. “Jarvis told me you helped him, and he wants to thank you. Kids his age are very particular about rules—they get upset when things don’t go their way, as I’m sure you know.”

“Before the scores are announced, I’d like to raise a concern.”

The competition staff looked a little taken aback.

“What’s your concern, ma’am?”

Leanne walked up to the stage, holding out her phone. “I want to project this video. In it, Monica Davidson is clearly looking at Rafferty Davidson’s paper, obviously trying to copy his answers—even down to the details on specific questions. You can check it against the live footage to see which questions she copied.”

“Monica was cheating, and she should be disqualified from the rest of the competition.”

Danielle narrowed her eyes slightly at Leanne.

At those words, the audience erupted in whispers and gasps.

Niki stood up, frowning. “I didn’t cheat!”

Raffy crossed his arms, smug. “I saw her looking over at my answers the whole time—she was definitely trying to copy.”

The event organizer paused. “In the spirit of fairness, we’ll play the video on the big screen and let the judges decide.”