Amelia and Susan huddled together in Amelia's bedroom, their eyes glued to the phone screen as they watched their plan unfold. Lucinda had taken the bait very easily."Look at her go," Susan whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief. "She's like a tornado tearing through our fake account."Amelia nodded, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I can't believe how well this is working."Lucinda's activity on the fake BTS fan account was nothing short of frenzied. She liked every single post with lightning speed, her comments appearing seconds after each new photo or video was uploaded. Her messages flooded the inbox, each one more desperate than the last, all proclaiming her undying devotion to the K-pop group.They had asked her once to post pictures of her room to prove her dedication. Within minutes, Lucinda had responded with a flurry of photos. Her room was a shrine to BTS, every inch covered in posters, albums, and merchandise. She had even rearranged her furniture to spell out "BTS" w
ELLA'S POV I watched in shocked silence as the video played on the screen. My jaw dropped, mirroring the stunned expressions of the other students around me. Their eyes darted between the Lucinda on the screen and the real one sitting just a few tables away. So this explains everything - why Lucinda had Trent wrapped around her finger, and even Damien's involvement. It all made sense now, like puzzle pieces finally clicking into place.As the video ended, a hush fell over the cafeteria. You could've heard a pin drop in those few seconds of stunned silence. Then, like a dam breaking, voices erupted all around me."Oh my god, did you hear that?" a girl with bright blue hair gasped, nearly knocking over her lunch tray as she turned to her friend."I can't believe Lucinda would do something like that," another boy whispered, his eyes wide as saucers."So she's been the real bitch all along," someone else chimed in, their voice dripping with disgust.My heart squeezed as I heard a quiet
TRENT'S POVI lingered outside the car, my hand resting on the cool metal of the door handle. The familiar sight of our homd loomed before me, a place I hadn't set foot in since... well, since everything went to hell. My heart thrummed in my chest as I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come.This wasn't a homecoming; it was just another step in our plan to bring Dad down.With trembling fingers, I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed Mr. Matthews' number. The line crackled to life after two rings."Is it time to call?" I glanced at my watch, noting the time. "No, not yet. In the next ten minutes, you can call.""Alright," he paused, and I could almost see him furrowing his brow. "Be careful, Trent."I ended the call and squared my shoulders, taking those first tentative steps towards the front door. Each footfall felt heavier than the last, like I was wading through quicksand. Before I could even reach for the doorknob, it swung open.Olivia stood there, he
TRENTS POVI tiptoed to the window, peeking out from behind the curtain.There's no sign of my dad's car or his security men's cars, but I could have sworn I saw them following me. Where could they have gone?I let the curtain fall back into place and spun around, my eyes landing on Nurse Veronica. She was fiddling with Tom's IV, her brow furrowed in concentration."We need to start the livestream now," I said, trying to keep the urgency out of my voice. She nodded, as she bustled about, checking Tom's vitals one last time.Earlier that day, Mr. Matthews and I had carefully installed cameras throughout the room. We'd tested and re-tested the connection, making sure everything was perfect for this moment. Mr. Matthew had gone to the police station to fetch police officers, in case things went awry, leaving us to face this alone. I swallowed hard, pushing down the nervousness bubbling up inside me.I approached Tom's bed, my hand gently squeezing his shoulder. "We need to start now, ok
TRENTS POV I stumbled back a step, nearly tripping over my own feet. The flashlight shook in my unsteady grip, casting wild shadows across the room. Dad's face was half-hidden in darkness, but I could see the cruel twist of his lips."What did you do to him?" I demanded, gesturing towards Mr. Matthews with the flashlight. My voice cracked, betraying my fear.Dad chuckled, a low sound that made my skin crawl. He took a step closer, and I moved to put myself between him and Tom's bed."Oh, don't worry about him," Dad said, waving a dismissive hand. "He's just taking a little nap. You should be more concerned about yourself right now, Trent."I licked my dry lips, my mind racing. "The livestream," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "People saw. They know Tom's alive. You can't -"Dad cut me off with a sharp laugh, taking another step closer. I could smell his expensive cologne, a scent that used to mean safety but now filled me with dread."Oh, Trent," he said, shaking his head in
TRENT'S POV I paced back and forth in the hospital waiting room, my sneakers squeaking against the polished floor. The beeping of machines and voices of medical staff filled the air, but I barely registered any of it. My mind was racing, replaying the night's events over and over like a broken record.Mr. Matthews sat slumped in a nearby chair, holding an ice pack to his swollen eye. We'd been here for hours, waiting for news about Nurse Veronica. I really can't afford to lose her, not when Tom needs her so much.I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging at the roots in frustration. "This is all my fault," I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.Mr. Matthews lowered the ice pack, wincing as he shifted in his seat. "Don't blame yourself, Trent. We couldn't have predicted this outcome."I spun around, facing him with clenched fists. "But we should have! We know what Dad's capable of. We should have been more prepared."Before he could reply, a familiar jingle of a breaking news
TRENT'S POV I took the watch from her, turning it over in my hands. "I don't understand," I began, but then I noticed a small button on the side. Pressing it, I watched in amazement as a video began to play.It showed Veronica leaving us, just as she had said she was going to check downstairs. The camera angle suggested it was filming from her perspective - the watch itself must have been recording.As she descended the stairs, Veronica's voice came through, slightly muffled but clear enough: "Hi. I don't know if I'll survive this, but I need to record what's happening here. This is my small medical facility that I've been managing since I got sacked from my previous workplace, Medicare Hospital."The video continued, showing Veronica's journey through the darkened hallways. Suddenly, a commotion erupted off-screen. The image shook as Veronica ducked behind a corner, her breath coming in quick, panicked gasps."Oh God," her voice whispered in the recording. "They're here. Richard Do
ELLA'S POVAs soon as the exam ended, I grabbed Trent's hand and pulled him towards a quiet corner of the hallway. My heart was still racing from the events of last night, and I needed to make sure he was okay. I ran my hands over his arms and chest, checking for any signs of injury."Are you hurt anywhere? Any bruises or cuts I can't see? Maybe we should go to the nurse's office, just to be safe," I rambled, my fingers trembling as I continued my inspection.Trent's laughter rumbled through his chest, and he caught my hands in his. "I'm totally fine, Ella. See? I'm practically glowing." He twirled, striking a pose like a model on a runway. "In fact, I think all that excitement might have given me superpowers. Want to see if I can fly?"I blew out an exasperated breath, swatting his arm. "Is that really what you should be joking about right now? This isn't funny, Trent. You could have been killed!" My voice cracked on the last word, and I swallowed hard. "When the livestream suddenly