The cold porcelain met her forehead with a dull thud, and she let out a gasp of surprise.
You bitch, what are you doing? Goddamn it, get off me!” Aria screeched, her voice muffled as she struggled against my grip.
Ignoring her protests, 1 reached for the faucet, turning it on.
Ice–cold water gushed out, splashing onto her hair and dripping down her face.
Aria’s curses filled the small bathroom, though her words were garbled and frantic.
“This,” I said calmly, “is just a taste of what you used to do to me. Back in school, remember? You thought it was funny then. How does it feel now, Aria?
She sputtered, trying to jerk her head free, but I held her firmly in place.
The water soaked through her perfectly styled hair, smudging her makeup and streaking her once–pristine appearance.
At first, she cursed and raged, but as the water continued to pour, her resistance weakened.
Her cursing turned to pleading.
“Please… stop..” she whimpered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rushing water.
I leaned in closer, my voice low and dangerous.
“You brought this on yourself. You’ve spent your life tormenting others, thinking you’re untouchable. But you’re not. Not anymore.”
For a moment, I considered leaving her like this, humiliated and soaked.
But then I released her, stepping back as she slumped against the sink, gasping for air.
She looked pathetic, her once–haughty demeanor shattered, and I couldn’t help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction.
I left the bathroom without another word, my heart pounding in my chest, but my mind clear.
I had won this round, and it felt damn good.
Leo was waiting for me in the classroom, his sharp eyes immediately noticing the damp spots on my clothes.
His brows furrowed in concern as he approached
“What happened?”
I smiled, shaking my head slightly,
“It’s taken care of. Nothing to worry about.”
- me.
He studied me for a moment, and then a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
He didn’t press further, sensing that I had handled the situation.
There was a quiet pride in his eyes, a recognition of my strength that made my heart swell.
After a while, Aria returned, drenched and disheveled.
Her makeup was smudged, her eyes wild with barely contained rage, but she just said nothing.
The filming crew glanced at her, confused and concerned, but she ignored them, storming out of the room.
The filming schedule was forced to end early, much to her frustration.
Leo and I didn’t spare her a second glance.
dhu Dovenop
We finished handing out the donations to the children, their innocent smiles and grateful eyes warming my heart.
As we prepared to leave, the dean and the children gathered around us, thanking us profusely.
“Please come back soon!” one of the little girls called out, clutching a new doll
I knelt down to her level, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“We will, I promise.” I smiled to her.
10
her chest.
As we walked to the car, Leo’s hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with mine.
I subconsciously tried to release his hand,
We didn’t speak, but the connection betwe
There was a quiet understanding, a mutual
seeing the little girl’s smiling gaze at us, I ended up holding hands with Leo.
was stronger than ever.
that had grown between us.
It was late and dark when I arrived home. Just as I was about to get out of Leo’s car, my cell phone rang with an unfamiliar text message.
Curiosity piqued, I opened it, only to feel the blood drain from my face.
The image on the screen was horrifying.
Emma, stripped and vulnerable, bruises marring her delicate skin, her face twisted in agony as she covered it with her hands.
The text that followed made my
blood run
cold.
*This is the price you pay for bullying Aria.*
My hands trembled as I stared at the message, my mind racing.
Emma… she had been dragged into this because of me.
My fingers trembled as I dialed Emma’s number, the dread in my chest growing with each ring that went unanswered.
The silence on the other end was like a knife twisting deeper into my gut.
I tried again, and again, but the result was the same–no response.
Leo watched me, concern etched across his face.
“What happened?” he asked, his voice steady but urgent.
I handed him my phone, the horrifying image of Emma still on the screen.
“It’s Emma… she’s been hurt. They sent me this picture.”
Leo’s eyes darkened as he took in the image, his expression hardening.
