Chapter 21 The usation

“You” Naomi charged at Eliza, furious and ready to p her. But this time, Zayden stepped in and stopped her.

“Naomi, that’s enough!”

“Zayden! She’s faking it! It was really her!”

Then give me one good reason to believe you.”

Zayden’s words binstantly /bbshut /bNaomi down.

She had nothing. No proof. No defense..

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When bhe /bsaw Naomi couldn’t defend herself, Zayden fell silent too. He looked at her and said, “The PE teacher already said your score for this test is void. Maybe next time you’ll think before pulling ba /bstunt like bthis/bb./b”

“Zayden!” Naomi’s face turned pale.

She had always found excuses to skip PE.

Everyone was used to it by now.

So this time, they just assumed she’d made up another lie to avoid taking the test.

Everyone from ss Six and ss One was side–eyeing her hard.

Naomi’s face twisted in embarrassment.

She didn’t bjust /blose her btest /bscore–her reputation was also in ruins.

Eliza remained indifferent.

She brought this on herself. That’s what happens then you cross the line. If Naomi wanted to mess with me, she should’ve expected me to fight bback /b

On the way back to ss, Nn suddenly bgrabbed /bEliza’s arm.

The hallway was empty.

He pulled her straight into an unused ssroom on the first floor.

The room was dead silent.

Nn bpushed /bher against the wall.

Sering

lus cold, bemotionless /bbface/b, Eliza immediately tensed. “Nn, what are you doing?”

“I just wanted to see what a liar looks like.” He bpressed /bhis bhand /blightly under her chin.

Eliza’s features were delicate–subtly beautiful. But her eyes.. deep, dark, band /bfull of secrets. There bwas /bsomething dangerous about them. The kind of eyes that made byou /blook twice and then again.

“I’m not a liar, Eliza bstared /bat him, her bvoice /bfirm.

“You were the bone /bwho locked the bdoor/b. I bknow /bbit /b

The list time he met Eliza, she’d been quiet band /bshy

No one liked her much back bthen/b. She bwas /btoo timid, and her low self–esteem kept her isted at bschool/b.

But the second time he saw her, everything had bchanged /b

She carried herself blike /bbeverything /bwas fine, but her eyes gave her away. bThey /bwere btoo /bbsharp /bfor someone her age. Beneath that calm exterior, you could feel the bweight /bshe bwas /bbcarrying/b. Like she bwas /bseconds from bcracking /b

Chapter 21 The usation

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“That was the most wless lie I’ve ever heard. Nn let go of her, his face returning to its busual /bcold indifference. “I don’t care what you’re up to. Just don’t drag ss Six into it. Everything else is your business. With that, he turned and left the ssroom

Eliza let out a sigh of relief. He’s sharp Not the type to be fooled easily.

Still, at least Nn didn’t n to meddle.

She quickly followed him out of the room.

Nn was already heading upstairs

Eliza had barely taken a few steps when Zayden’s voice rang out behind her.

“Stop right there.”

She froze.

When she turned around. Zayden bwas /bstanding behind her, eyes sharp as he asked. “What were byou /bband /bNn doing just now?

He had seen Nn pull her into that empty ssroom.

And he had no idea what kind of shameless things they might’ve done in there.

Faced with Zayden’s sharp question, Eliza instantly figured out what was running through his head.

Some things never changed–Zayden had balways /bbeen controlling.

If he decided something—or someone–was his

his, then that was it. No one else was allowed near it

But Eliza never saw herself as his to im.

“What we were doing just now isn’t really any of your business, is it?”

“Eliza, don’t forget–we’re still engaged. You’re my fiancée. Zayden’s tone turned ice cold. “What exactly were you doing with Nn?

“I don’t bowe /bbyou /ban exnation.” Eliza turned and walked away.

Zayden immediately stepped forward and grabbed her arm. “Eliza

“Zayden!” Naomi’s voice called bfrom /bnearby, her face pale.

The bmoment /bhe saw Naomi, Zayden let go of Eliza’s arm without thinking.

Eliza nced bat /bNaomi, then at Zayden, her expression cool bas /bshe bsaid/b, “Why don’t you deal with Naomi first?” bAnd /bwith that, she turned and headed upstairs

Zayden’s expression shifted as he looked back at Naomi “Didn’t I tell you to go upstairs first? Why are you following me?”

“Zayden. I bjust /bwanted to exin.”

“There’s nothing to exin,” he said tly. “Your test bscore /bis byour /bown responsibility. If you didn’t want to take the test, no bone /bwas forcing you”

“That’s not it! 1 was telling the truth in bthe /bequipment room! Naomi clutched his handb, /bsounding bhurt/b. “Zayden, you bknow /bbI’ve /bnever been good at lying. I just didn’t want byou /bto get the wrong idea. I was scared you’d shut me out.”

Zayden fell silent, watching bher /bbas /btears welled in her eyes. “Naomi, did you even think babout /bwhat it would do to Eliza when byou /bbused /bher Or.” He narrowed his eyes. “Did you borrow the key because you had some other n?”