The Mafia Heiress's Comeback: She's More Than You Think novel Chapter 203

Chapter 203 Island

Survival

The remaining contestants stepped forward one after another, each taking their turn on the range.

Though their performances were steady–earning solid scores of seven or eight–they simply couldn’t recapture the crowd’s attention after Maren’s breathtaking display.

With the final formalities wrapped up, the first shooting match drew to a smooth and official close.

“I now declare the results of the shooting match. In third place: Nadia Morgan from the Royal Military Academy! Second place: Matthew Griffin from the Voutsas Military Academy! And first place–Maren Morgan, also from the Royal Military Academy! Let’s hear it for them!”

The host’s voice rang out powerfully across the field, energizing the crowd as the podium was unveiled.

Maren, Matthew, and Nadia ascended the steps, instantly becoming the focal point of every camera, every pair of eyes.

“The Royal Military Academy’s dominating this year! Two out of the top three–unreal!”

“And they both have the last name Morgan? Seriously?”

“No joke–I just checked the forums. They’re siblings!”

“Get outta here. That’s insane!”

Maren’s flawless execution had already sparked curiosity, but once her identity surfaced, the buzz turned electric.

“They say the younger one’s already top–tier, but the older sister? She’s on another level entirely.”

The crowd was abuzz, conversations crackling like wildfire.

As the ceremony ended, students began returning to their teams. But for Nadia, every step back felt heavier than the last.

Even the praise meant for her sounded twisted–as though her achievements existed solely to contrast Maren’s brilliance.

Bitterness tightened around her like a noose.

“Wait! Did you hear that Maren’s the same girl who took down Daniel Smith with a single move?”

“What? Are you kidding?”

Someone from the crowd shouted the revelation, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.

0.0%

11:13

<Chapter 203 Island Survival

“I heard about it a while back. People said Daniel got defeated by some student. I thought it was a joke!”

“No joke. It’s real. There’s a video and everything!”

“No way. One move? Against Daniel?! That’s unreal!”

“Daniel’s the pride of Baimsa, one of the strongest fighters in all Slatinia. And she beat him in a blink? That’s wild!”

“If I hadn’t seen the footage myself, I’d swear it was fake.”

It didn’t take long before someone unearthed the infamous video. Within minutes, the entire venue was watching in awe–struck silence.

Even the judges exchanged startled glances as the realization hit.

“So it was her!” The judges all turned their eyes to Maren.

They had long known that Daniel had been defeated by a student–a revelation that had quietly stirred doubts about his competence and sparked ongoing talks of replacing him.

They had even expressed interest in meeting the student someday

They never expected to meet that very student today.

“Alberto, why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

Among them, Alberto held the highest rank and knew Maren better than most.

“I only just realized,” Alberto admitted, still visibly shaken. He rarely paid attention to student rumors, but even he couldn’t ignore what he had just witnessed,

“This girl is something else.” Even Trey, who had once scoffed at Maren’s potential, now looked at her with a mix of awe and defeat.

He couldn’t even hold his own against Daniel. Compared to Maren, he’d be flattened in seconds.

And as for his prized student, Matthew, that was a whole other embarrassment.

Matthew’s heart sank. Refusing to believe what he’d heard, he pulled up the video himself. But the moment he watched it, everything he thought he knew shattered completely.

Maren looked younger than him–by years—and yet, her skill dwarfed his completely.

“Damn it, she’s stealing the spotlight again.” No one felt it deeper than Nadia, standing stiffly on the third–place podium.

She had always been the standout the crown jewel of Royal Trinity Academy, the brightest light in Baimsa. But lately, wherever she went, Maren’s shadow followed.

Finally, she thought she’d found a stage where Maren wouldn’t appear. She’d scored a proud nine points. And yet, once again, Maren had swooped in and stolen the show. She’d become the backdrop again. The footnote to Maren’s story.

“Sir! Maren just secured the win for us. We should totally celebrate tonight!”

31.7%

11:14

As Maren stepped down from the podium, Morris was the first to speak up.

“Absolutely. We’ve got to celebrate this victory.” The students all agreed. After all, Matthew had mocked them earlier. Maren’s win was their sweet redemption.

“Of course. A joint mixer has already been planned for tonight, bringing together all five military academies to celebrate the top achievers from today’s events,” Daniel said warmly, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

“Oh, and Maren–Isla and Hades are staying in the third villa down in the coastal district. If they’re free, bring them with you this evening.” Daniel told Maren.

As the ceremony faded behind her, Maren suddenly realized Sawyer had vanished without a word, leaving behind a quiet hollowness nestled in her chest..

“Thank you for taking care of everything, sir. Has Isla’s school situation been handled?”

“It’s all taken care of. She’ll begin tomorrow,” Daniel replied with reassuring certainty,

Having met Stormclaw in person, Daniel couldn’t help but sense that Maren’s connection with him went far beyond the ordinary.

“That’s wonderful. Thank you, sir.”

With the competition stretching out over the next few days, and Maren’s presence not guaranteed, enrolling Isla in school seemed like the perfect way to keep her engaged.

As the day’s events had kicked off in the afternoon, only one round was scheduled. Once it concluded, Maren boarded the large bus with the other students.

“Sir, what’s on the agenda for tomorrow’s event?” Maren asked as they rode along on the bus. She didn’t need to prepare, but knowing ahead of time always gave her a mental edge.

“Island survival,” Daniel revealed.

100.0%