This time, however, she didn’t succeed.

Both women held onto one of Shia’s hands, trapping him in the middle, utterly torn between the two.

If he could, he would have shouted, “Will you two just stop already?!”

Diana’s eyes gleamed with amusement, her expression full of playful mischief.

'I’m deliberately fighting you for him. And guess what? I’m your boss—your superior. What can you even do about it?'

Ella’s face darkened.

'Infuriating!'

Letting go wasn’t an option, but neither was conceding.

Both women stepped closer, their gazes locking in an intense standoff. Sparks practically flew between them, but poor Shia was caught in the middle, squeezed on both sides.

On one side, a vast ocean of softness enveloped him; on the other, firm yet springy waves pushed against him.

Thus began the battlefield—a mature showdown between two powerful women.

Ella was dumbfounded by Diana’s shameless and self-assured logic. Her wide eyes reflected her disbelief.

'Did I hear that right? Did the headmistress just outright admit to stealing someone from me? Where’s her sense of propriety?!'

Diana, meanwhile, relished Ella’s flustered reaction, watching as her chest heaved with frustration and her expression filled with disbelief.

'Messing with this elegant, dignified beauty is just too much fun.'

It was amusing to see someone so poised and reserved lose their composure.

In a way, Diana and Shia were similar in their love of teasing others.

However, their motivations for competing over Shia were entirely different.

For Diana, her possessiveness toward Shia stemmed from a maternal affection—a desire to dote on him and smother him with love.

Ella, on the other hand, was fiercely protective of her man. She wasn’t about to let the headmistress swoop in and steal him away.

The irony was that their goals didn’t even conflict. Diana’s affection and Ella’s protectiveness could have coexisted peacefully.

Unfortunately, neither party realized this.

And so, Shia endured his bittersweet torment, helplessly caught between them.

Raising his head with great difficulty, Shia glanced at Ella’s darkened expression, then at Diana’s smug, taunting grin.

'Why me?'

He knew what was going on, but he had no chance to voice his thoughts.

Squeezed between two forces of nature, he felt like a fragile cookie in the middle of a vice grip, unable to say a word.

Diana, of course, knew exactly what she was doing.

She was doing it on purpose—wanting to see Ella flustered and frustrated, finding it endlessly amusing to tease her.

As the sparks between the two women intensified, they both leaned in closer, pushing Shia further into their combined embrace.

Completely submerged, Shia couldn’t even lift his head anymore.

The pressure was immense. Painful, even.

Yet to complain would feel overly dramatic.

---

By the time evening arrived, the crystal-clear reflection pool mirrored the fiery hues of the sunset, as though the sky itself had plunged into the water.

Ordinarily, students at the Seven Shields Academy would be relaxing with friends during this time, but today was different.

This was the day of the monthly trial for the freshmen, and their very first test had been met with a major crisis.

Even senior students had caught wind of the event and gathered to observe.

However, most of the attention came from the freshmen who had narrowly escaped danger.

Amid the crowd’s murmurs, Diana ascended the podium, her every step graceful and commanding.

Her mature, elegant aura radiated from her, and her voluptuous figure drew every eye.

With her striking red eyes and seductive charisma, she was the very picture of an alluring older sister figure.

Her presence silenced the crowd; no one dared act out under her imposing aura.

“Everyone,” she began, her voice resonating powerfully, “today’s trial encountered some unexpected difficulties, but you all performed admirably.”

At her praise, the crowd couldn’t help but swell with pride. Many straightened their backs, glancing at Diana with admiration and respect.

Shia rolled his eyes inwardly.

'What an act.'

Out of everyone here, only he knew just how much of a minx she could be.

Meanwhile, Ella was still sulking in the office, clearly traumatized by her earlier defeat at Diana’s hands.

Though Shia had given the mischievous headmistress a firm “lesson” afterward, the damage to Ella’s pride wasn’t something easily repaired.

The memory of Diana’s flustered, bashful expression earlier brought a smug grin to Shia’s face.

Looking at her now, all dignified and composed, surrounded by adoring freshmen, he couldn’t help but feel a unique sense of accomplishment.

This side of the headmistress—this powerful, elegant temptress—was a persona only he could see through.

“...Among all of you, one person’s performance stood out,” Diana continued, her gaze shifting toward Shia.

Though she didn’t name him immediately, the crowd’s eyes turned toward him in unison.

As the hero of the day, Shia had shone the brightest in the crisis, and everyone had witnessed his feats.

Diana’s expression softened, her smile gaining a touch of maternal warmth.

“Shia, please step forward and say a few words.”

As he stepped onto the stage, the gazes of countless admiring girls followed him, their hearts racing.

Though Shia’s tone remained calm and unpretentious, his words carried a weight that resonated with everyone.

“The glory isn’t mine alone,” he began firmly. “It belongs to all of us here.”

“We are a team, and every member is indispensable.”

His steady gaze swept across the crowd, conveying his conviction to each person present.

The girls who met his eyes felt their hearts flutter uncontrollably.

An indescribable energy seemed to fill the air, as though their very blood was boiling.

In the brief silence that followed, Shia’s words left a profound impression, earning him yet another wave of admiration and goodwill.

'Thunderous applause filled the air!'

The clapping continued for what felt like an eternity, as the admiration from the young women deepened into heartfelt reverence.

Diana cast a fleeting glance at the boy beside her, a knowing smile flickering in her crimson eyes.

'This little guy certainly knows how to win hearts.'

Shia, watching the enthusiastic reactions of the crowd, sighed inwardly.

'Connections… all of this is potential networking.'

Even though these girls were currently just freshmen at Seven Shields Academy, many already wielded considerable social influence.

And in the future? They’d undoubtedly be even more invaluable.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com