Chapter 4

With her eyes tightly closed and her face flushed, Zella firmly squeezed her dress with such deep emotion that she felt compelled to explore the world and everything within it.

 

Although seemingly closed and beautiful, the black dress incites her intense anger and desire to tear it apart and burn it to the ground.

 

It was the first time in her life that she felt this constrained. I'm not sure if the man, who disguised his name as Cale, knew that his campus was hosting the 50th anniversary of Spienza University at night.

 

The man arbitrarily told him to wear the black dress he gave him and arranged for him not to be close to any man, even touching the slightest skin of another man, or the man did not hesitate to finish off any man who intentionally or unintentionally touched him. So that he was

 

Forced to wear gloves. She was compelled to wear gloves.

 

She was really fed up! I'm so sick of it!

 

Zella sat at the very back, watching her friends chat and show off their looks to each other. In the middle of the show, a host enlivened the atmosphere by telling them all to dance in pairs, except for her, who was sitting quietly without a partner or friend accompanying her.

 

Lily, her best friend, was dancing with Damian, looking so cool that she forgot about her friend. Meanwhile, she sat alone, pensively looking bored at the scene before her.

 

Despite clearing her name after the incident, she couldn't understand why they continued to ostracize her, accusing her of killing Brian.

 

“Miss, would you like something to drink?” Dressed in a black-and-white uniform, a black mask, and a hat, a waitress approached her with one tray remaining.

 

“I happen to be thirsty.” Zella took a glass of lemon tea.

 

Zella smiled. “Thank you.”

 

The woman nodded and turned to leave.

 

Zella gulped down her drink, and the dancing with each other was over.

 

“Zella!” called Lily as she approached Zella.

 

“Yes?”

 

"Everyone else is dancing, and you are merely sitting in the corner. Are you not feeling bored?" Lily grabbed the drink the waiter had given her and gulped it down until only half remained.

 

Zella sighed heavily. “You know yourself, don’t you? They don’t like me.”

 

Zella's words abruptly stopped Lily from speaking.

 

“If you’re just here to say that again, you can leave if you’re tired of me,” Zella said, staring blankly ahead.

 

Lily snorted in annoyance. Then she hit her best friend’s arm hard, making Zella grimace. “What are you saying? How could I break our friendship?

 

Lily cupped Zella’s cheek tightly, forcing the girl to face her. “Look, you’re my best friend! Regardless of the circumstances, be it slander or anything else, you hold a special place in my heart! Whatever happens, Lily will always believe in you and be your best friend!”

 

Lily patted her chest with determination.

 

Zella chuckled. “There’s no need to be overbearing.”

 

“Zella...! Your beautiful, angelic friend's words should touch you. Here you are laughing.” An annoyed snort.

 

“Excuse me, Lily!” An unfamiliar call brought the two to a halt, and they immediately turned to the source of the voice.

 

“Well?” said Lily.

 

“Lily, can you come with me?” The girl with a blue dress and blonde hair said, "Lily, can you come with me?"

 

“Sorry, I can’t.”

 

“But Lily, this is important. The headmaster wants to talk to you for a moment; he has something important to say,” she said.

 

Lily looked at Zella guiltily; she had just said she would accompany her friend but left Zella alone.

 

Staring at her, Zella nodded and smiled soothingly. Lily let out a rough sigh and stood up.

 

“Okay, let’s go.”

 

Lily immediately got up and walked; Zella stared at Lily’s back until she disappeared.

 

Zella let out a rough breath. She was alone again. If she could go home now, she would have gone earlier, but the rector forbade all students to go back before the event was over.

 

Zella massaged her head and fanned her body, which felt unusually hot despite being nighttime. She rose to her feet, her gait appearing to stutter as she hurried towards the bathroom.

 

At the toilet, she washed her face, which felt red. His breathing was heavy, his body drooping limply until the touch of the other man's hand brought his body back into comfort.

 

“Are you okay?” The man crouched down to look at the girl before he expressed his confusion.

 

Zella looked up; she couldn’t see clearly who the man before her was; her eyes looked blurry. For an unknown reason, she lost her composure and purposefully rose to her feet, taking a sharp breath.

 

“What’s wrong with you? You don’t look well; let me call Lily momentarily.” The man was about to turn around, but before he could leave, Zella lunged at him.

 

With her lips pressed together, Zella pushed the man's head in front of her, seemingly unable to let go of him for a moment.

 

Wide-eyed at the scene before her, Lily waited until the toilet door opened.

 

When Zella feels a strong pull from behind, a brutal slap, a sudden turn of her head to the side, and then a strong push that causes her to fall to the floor, she doesn't care about the distraction and continues to focus on the man in front of her.

 

Not only that but as the shower water sprayed toward her, she became aware that, despite the residual heat in her body, she could now clearly see the scene before her eyes.

 

Zella looked at them all confused, plus Lily seemed to be looking at her disappointed, and there was so much anger in those eyes.

 

“Lil—” Lily’s voice trailed off.

 

A powerful slap hit her cheek. Zella held her cheek in surprise, looking at Lily in confusion, and then a few seconds later, a memory of her deliberately pecking the lips of a man whose face appeared blurry came back to her.

 

Zella turned to Lily, her lipstick marks clearly visible on her lips and the man's neck. Her eyes bulged perfectly, and she closed her mouth in disbelief at her foolish actions.

 

“Lily, I can explain!” Zella was about to grab Lily’s hand. “It’s not what you see.”

 

She brushed his hand away roughly, then pushed his body hard again. “What?!!!”

 

Lily looked at Zella disappointedly with teary eyes. "I've always trusted you, even considering you as my own brother." However, I find it challenging to believe that you could have oppressed me. Why Zella?! WHY?!!!”

 

“Lily, I—” Zella interrupted herself repeatedly.

 

“That’s enough! I’m sick of hearing your explanations!“

 

”Honey... I apologize, honey. He approached me, and I was merely attempting to assist him after hearing a noise and noticing his fear. I was going to call you, but he attacked me,” Damian explained at length in defense of himself, a panicked look on his face. He grabbed his girlfriend’s hand with a frightened look as if he feared their relationship ending.

 

Lily sighed long, wiping away the tears that had fallen. Looking up at her lover, she smiled. “I know; you can’t do that. Because I’ve seen it myself. Viola informed me that she had recorded everything and sent it to me.

 

“I don’t know what would have happened next if Viola hadn’t sent it; maybe I wouldn’t have known what my best friend was doing. The thought of it disgusts me!” Lily spat on the floor, looking at Zella in disgust.

 

Lily pulled Damian's hand away, leaving Zella sitting alone, soaking wet, so much so that even the few who followed Lily looked at her with disgust and contempt.