"I've already checked. She's not a resident student. No one has seen her in the girls' dormitory," Fawn said, her usual reliable gossip at hand.
"Not living in the dormitory means she's a day student," Raven scoffed, a disdainful curl to her lip and a look of despise in her eyes. "It must be because she can't afford our school's dorms. They cost 20 grand a year, not something every family can handle. As a call girl, she's only fit for day schooling." With that, she folded her arms across her chest and raised her chin, as if she had seen through everything.
Fawn didn't chime in this time.
Melinda spoke up instead, "Raven, don't talk about her like that. Everyone has their difficulties. Maybe she's also left with no choice?" Her eyes flitted around as she spoke, avoiding Raven's gaze. Her foot scraped back and forth on the ground, and her fingers twisted together. Her heart pounded like a rabbit caught in her chest, fearful that Raven would detect the cracks in he
Vanya's POVI stood atop the high-rise of the building, quietly watching the backs of Melinda and her two companions as they gradually faded into the distance.At that moment, the security guard called me, inquiring, "Ms. Dalton, three people just arrived at the entrance, claiming to be your friends. Should I allow them in?""No, and if they come again in the future, get them away," I responded decisively."I see, Ms. Dalton."After hanging up the phone, I heard Theodore's steady voice from inside the room, "Just let them go like that?""What else can we do? Engage in a heated argument downstairs?" I shrugged.I was truly unwilling to waste my time on such boring people.I was also quite puzzled. In my previous life, I had tried every means to get close to Cliff, and at that time, Melinda did not consider me a threat.But after my rebirth, when I no longer wanted to be near Cliff, Melinda started to target me.How
Melinda's POVVanya's expression grew stern, and Fawn, seeing the situation, rushed over to help me up from the ground. "Melinda! What are you doing? Get up and come with me."Fawn forcefully pulled me away, and I dared not meet Vanya's eyes.I feared seeing through my disguise in her sharp gaze.There, Fawn tugged at me, her face full of confusion as she asked, "Melinda, why did you just kneel to her?""I, I just... I was afraid she would cause trouble for you, so I wanted to talk to her privately," I feigned an extremely aggrieved look, hoping to dispel Fawn's doubts."Melinda, you... you're not deceiving us, are you?" Her eyes still held a trace of suspicion.I felt my face freeze for a moment, but quickly recovered.I said with a sense of grievance, "Fawn, how could I possibly deceive you? Why would you suddenly ask me that?"My heart was pounding with anxiety, terrified she would see through my ruse.Fawn sai
Third Person's POVMelinda's spine stiffened instantly, and she slowly turned her head, her eyes filled with restraint and unease.She stammered, "Yes... yes.""Are you from room 317?" the principal asked.Melinda nodded, wondering why the question was being asked."Is Raven from your dormitory?""...Yes, she is," Melinda glanced at Raven not far away, a hint of barely noticeable panic flashing in her eyes.Raven was taken aback, and the principal's gaze followed suit."Are you Raven?"Raven's body tensed, nodding stiffly, her heart lifting with a sense of foreboding.The principal looked down at the complaint letter in her hand, her expression grave as she said, "We received a report that you fabricated false information and spread it within the school, severely damaging the campus atmosphere and infringing upon a female student's right to reputation." She then placed a flyer with a photoshopped image of Vanya in
Vanya's POV"What did I do?" Derrick paused, clearly not following."About the principal's matter," I directly pointed out the key issue.Derrick thought for a moment and replied, "Probably Theodore did it.""Would Theodore bother with this kind of thing?" I was surprised, suddenly recalling the scene of Melinda and her two companions downstairs of my apartment that day.Upon reflection, it really could have been Theodore's doing.However, another question quickly replaced the doubt in my mind. "Are you so broke that you have to eat here?"This affordable cafeteria of Wolfe didn't seem like a place Derrick would frequent."Save where you can," Derrick responded.I inwardly scoffed, "What a joke!"Derrick kept his company's lights on all night.Who would believe him?I invited Derrick to sit and dine together, then asked, "What was Theodore's intention by involving the principal?""There's a sa
Melinda's POVIt has been a long time since Cliff has remembered me. I have been hoping to have a chance to see him again.That kind of anticipation burned incessantly in the depths of my heart, like a flame."Alpha Cliff has arrived, please come down," Elliott said to me in a flat tone.I tried hard to suppress the excitement in my heart and replied, "I will come down right away."When I turned around, I happened to see Raven and Fawn looking at me.They never spoke to me again since those things happened during the day.Sure enough, as soon as they saw me at that moment, they immediately averted their gaze, as if I were a completely unfamiliar and unrelated person.But now my heart is full of anticipation for seeing Cliff, I don't care about their attitude at all, and I turn around and hurriedly go downstairs.Cliff's car was parked right outside the girls' dormitory.I dashed past like a gust of wind, wearing only a simple nightgown, which appeared quite thin."Alpha Cliff, you cam
Vania's POVI frowned as I stared at my suddenly disconnected phone, the urgent busy tone in the receiver sounding like error notifications on the Chicago subway."What on earth has Cliff been taking lately?!" Fingertips unconsciously tapped out a jazz drumbeat on the glass coffee table."What's wrong? Did your husband look for you?"Grace "click" opened the third can of sardines, and the silver fork gleamed with a dangerous light under the lamp.At this moment, she removed her makeup, but she still remained an extremely charming mature woman.Since the day Theodore introduced me to Grace, the two of us quickly became acquainted.Although this is only our second meeting, in the past three days of Facebook private messaging, we have become gossip buddies who can talk about anything."Cliff didn't know what happened, suddenly he asked me to report my whereabouts to him in real-time starting from tomorrow," I shook my head helplessly.In my memory, the previous Cliff never cared about wh
Vania's POVThe next morning, a sudden and urgent knocking on the door, like a sharp alarm, forcefully pulled me out of my sweet dreams.I groggily rubbed my sleepy eyes, slipped on my slippers, and unsteadily walked towards the door to open it.The deliveryman stood politely at the door, handing over a package with a smile, and said, "Miss Dalton, here is your delivery.""Mine?" I furrowed my brows slightly, my eyes filled with confusion as I looked at the security guard with a bewildered expression.The security guard, upon seeing the situation, quickly and patiently explained, "It was something sent to you by your friend.""My friend?" I was even more puzzled, confusion written all over my eyes as I pondered in my mind who it could possibly be."Who is it? It's too early in the morning to disturb my sleep," Grace was also awakened from her sleep by the knocking at the door.She lazily rubbed her eyes, yawned, and sleepily wa
Vania's POVWith my reminder, Grace's eyes suddenly lit up, instantly revealing a look of sudden realization.Grace instantly flew into a rage, with her hands on her hips, "You wait, I will go find him and settle the score!"I couldn't stop Grace at all. She was wearing pajamas, dragging her slippers, and rushed out in a hurry.I was about to chase after her, but I saw her directly knocking on the door of the next room."Derek! Come out! Derek!" Grace shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice incredibly loud.Derek scratched his messy hair, sleepily opened the door, furrowed his brow, and impatiently asked, "Who is making noise at the door so early in the morning? Don't you let people sleep!"Derek opened the door and, upon seeing Grace, he immediately froze, his eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, and his face filled with astonishment.He seemed to think that he had seen it wrong, so he closed the door again, opened it ca
Cliff's POVThe next day, as the first hint of dawn began to lighten the sky, the faint morning light filtered through the windows and spilled into the living room.I leaned against the sofa, having not slept a wink all night, feeling waves of exhaustion wash over me.After last night's chaos, my nerves were still taut. My mind was a jumbled mess of conflicting thoughts.At that moment, I saw Vanya coming downstairs, carrying some toiletries, apparently planning to head back to her apartment early in the morning.The moment I saw her, my nerves tightened like a bowstring about to snap, and I tensed up instantly.I quickly stood up and took a few steps forward to block her path. My tone softened involuntarily, tinged with caution, "Where are you going?""Back to my apartment," Vanya replied coldly, her eyes distant and resolute, as if I were a complete stranger.Her voice was soft, but it struck my heart like a heavy hammer.Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed her wrist, wanting t
Vanya's POVI knew that only by leaving with Cliff could the two packs remain unscathed, and I could secure their future protection.At this thought, a chill ran down my spine, and a deep sense of unease washed over me.Edwin's mind was incredibly meticulous. Every move seemed meticulously planned, which was truly terrifying.He was like a wolf lurking in the shadows, always ready to strike with a fatal blow, catching everyone off guard.After a moment of silence, I said, "Thank you, Mr. Hammond. It's getting late, and I'll leave with Alpha Cliff now. I apologize for any rudeness today and will come to make amends another day."Edwin lowered his eyelids. After a while, he raised a hand in a gesture.The bodyguards stepped aside, and Cliff's grip on my arm tightened even more as he turned to leave.I keenly noticed that outside the Hammond family's door, Cliff had also brought his own people.If I had chosen to stay just now, Cliff's men might have stormed the hall without hesitation.
Vanya's POVMy heart skipped a beat. I hadn't detected any amusement in Edwin's eyes.My initial approach to Wilmot was always driven by his status and future prospects.Such a motive couldn't even be hidden from Wilmot, let alone Edwin.I recalled how Edwin had dealt with that flamboyant woman just now—right in front of me. It was clearly a warning.My heartbeat quickened involuntarily, but I maintained a calm facade and said, "Just classmates, not particularly close."Edwin let out a soft chuckle and said, "The wind up here is rather strong. Miss Dalton, it's better if you don't come up. Wilmot is downstairs. You two can have a chat."I couldn't fathom Edwin's intentions, but one thing was clear—he didn't want me near this terrace.Naturally, I wouldn't oppose him. After a polite nod, I headed downstairs.When I reached the bottom, I saw Wilmot drinking alone at the stairway entrance.Upon seeing me
Cliff's POVIn the hospital corridor, Elliot hurried back to the ward after receiving a phone call.He said to me, "Alpha Cliff, there seems to be some trouble at the Hammond family's event."I made a shushing gesture and glanced at Melinda, who was still unconscious in the hospital bed.I whispered to Elliot, "Let's talk outside.""……Yes, Alpha Cliff," Elliot hesitated but went out to wait first.After I closed the ward door, I said, "Go ahead.""It's about Luna..."Before he could finish, I frowned and asked, "What trouble has she caused now?""It seems two of Miss Coleman's classmates were slandering Luna Vanya, calling her a call girl and saying some very unpleasant things. They were kicked out by Mr. Hammond.""Slandering Vanya as a call girl?" I furrowed my brows even more. "Would she just stand there and let herself be slandered?""Luna Vanya didn't say a word the whole time. It was Gra
Third Person's POVRaven was frightened by Wilmot. She retreated two steps, shrinking behind her father, Tristan Schmidt.Tristan had never seen his daughter so wronged, especially right in front of him.He immediately said, "Mr. Hammond! Raven is a girl. You should let her have the last word. How could you..."Tristan's words were cut short as Wilmot found it amusing. "Excuse me?"Everyone around them wore expressions of anticipation, as if watching a drama unfold.Who was Wilmot?From a young age, only Edwin had been able to keep him in check. No outsider had ever dared to lecture him condescendingly.Tristan's face fell as he said, "Even so, I am your elder!""Who do you think you are?"Wilmot gave Tristan no respect.In this circle, respect was only given to those who were more powerful.These were just obscure small-business owners, making a few hundred thousand a month. If it weren't for Vanya
Third Person's POVCliff completely ignored Vanya beside him and strode forward, swiftly picking up Melinda and holding her in his arms.He shouted, "Elliot! Go get the doctor! Hurry up!""Yes, Alpha Cliff!" Elliot glanced deeply at Melinda in Cliff's arms before rushing off.Vanya couldn't help but sneer at the sight.Melinda's fainting seemed too convenient—too perfectly timed.Anyone with even a basic understanding of the situation, including Elliot, could sense something was amiss. Only Cliff, in his concern for Melinda, failed to notice.Wilmot watched the scene with a burning heart and said to Vanya, "He just left you behind like that?""Isn't that normal?" Vanya replied, though she was genuinely surprised by Melinda's move.Raven's gaze towards Vanya grew more hostile as she watched Melinda being carried away.Vanya noticed Raven's look and raised an eyebrow.It seemed Raven and Fawn believed t
Third Person's POVCliff saw Vanya the moment she walked in.He also noticed Theodore, who was following behind her. That sight seemed to sting his eyes.Wilmot had been waiting inside for quite some time. Upon seeing Vanya, his eyes lit up instantly.He dropped the glass of red wine in his hand and strode quickly towards her."Why so late?"Wilmot's tone conveyed dissatisfaction, but more so, it was filled with delight.Vanya said, "Let me introduce you. This is my friend, Grace."Wilmot's expression changed slightly upon seeing Grace.Grace, however, seemed quite intrigued and said, "Wilmot? You've grown up. We've met when you were still a kid."With that, Grace reached out to tug at Wilmot's ear, but he quickly blocked her hand, exclaiming, "I'm grown up now! I'm not a kid anymore!"Vanya hadn't expected that they knew each other.Grace then explained to Vanya, "When we were kids, the Hammond fami
Melinda's POVI deliberately lowered my voice, pretending to be at a loss.At the mere mention of Vanya, Cliff's brows furrowed. Although he didn't say anything, I could sense his impatience."Do you not want to come?" he asked."Of course not!" My cheeks flushed as I explained, "I'm just worried that people will make wild guesses about our relationship again."Cliff didn't respond to me.Soon, Cliff and I arrived at the gala venue. There weren't many people inside. Cliff greeted the people one by one.Before long, the main doors were pushed open again.Two couples walked in, followed by Fawn and Raven, who were holding hands.They came too!In an instant, my heart dropped into the abyss. How could they be at such an important occasion?Cliff noticed the change in my expression and frowned, asking, "Melinda, are you feeling unwell? Shall I have Elliot take you home first?""I..." I was about to speak
Third Person's POV"Stop pretending. It's been so long since the incident, and you never once invited us out for a meal to apologize. What's the real deal? Now you're just trying to show off that your rich boyfriend bought you a house, right?"Raven's voice was just loud enough to reach the ears of those around them. The surrounding people cast odd glances their way.Raven had previously been accused of spreading rumors by the dean and had endured quite a few disdainful looks during that time.She had no patience for Melinda now.Melinda hadn't expected Raven's reaction to be so intense, nor had she anticipated that Raven would directly expose her vanity.Her face turned pale instantly. "Raven, let's talk this through. I didn't mean it like that..."Raven scoffed, "Who wants to talk this through with you?""Raven, I know I was wrong. This time, I genuinely want to apologize to you... can you just forgive me?" Tears rolled down