Michelle was struggling in the arms of the men."Let go of me! What the heck are you doing-!" But her struggles were futile as she was thrown into the pool."Ahhh! It's freezing! Cold! Cold!" Michelle's piercing shouts echoed in the swimming arena.Layla just watched Michelle with cold eyes. Whenever Michelle swam to the edges to get away, Layla would kick her back."Be thankful that I did not rip your clothes.""You! I thought we are done! Why are you doing this to me?!""Are you not familiar with your own schemes? Did you not use the same trick on my best friend?""What are you talking about?" Michelle played dumb. She makes us of her acting skills.But Layla won't buy it."Let's see how long can you keep this act. If you admit you are wrong, who knows, I might let you get out of that pool."Michelle started yelling that she was innocent while Layla ignored her and take her time in the world. Every ten minutes, Layla would order the four men to bring more ice to the pool.The four
Who might have done it? It was impossible for my softhearted co-art department students to damage the spirit of those four men. They don't have much power to throw such threats or be someone those men could fear. The only possibility was that person was from Golden Heirs. Levi and Gabrielle don't have any idea of what was happening. The threats much looked like Eduardo but that man would not help me or hide his achievements from Layla. And he was abroad. So....it must be Kane. But I could not imagine Kane being cruel and vicious to someone because of me. When I asked Layla if she had told Kane about my situation, Layla avoided my eyes. I narrowed my eyes. Layla obviously told Kane about it. "Alright, I'll confess. After I learned about it, I was so angry and asked Kane. It turned out he also doesn't know anything. So I told him to check the university's forum." I slapped my forehead. Dang. So he had known it since yesterday? "Then?" "And then...he said it is better if the
In the quiet and dim living room, Kane and I continued our conversation.We sat on one couch. I listen to Kane on what his plans were to clear my name while I also chipped in some ideas. I also told him what my initial plan was. We talked for a while and I realized that this was our first peaceful conversation.Before, we always talked in a manner that ended up in a fight. But this time, ever since I opened the closed doors and accepted the help of others- I did not find it difficult to converse with Kane.I decided to accept his nagging and criticism. Because looking closely, they were traces of worries in them. Besides, it wasn't bad at all to receive his help. And I know I can't stop him from helping me.I also noticed that Kane changed somewhat. He did not show his pettiness over his snacks, and he converse with me gently without fussing over every word I said.After we settled the matter of my case, I started opening the conversation we had before."Kane, you told me before tha
A/n: This chapter is fixed. *** Because of that conversation, I wasn't able to sleep that night. I ate breakfast with panda eyes. Layla woke up early and joined us for breakfast. She looked at me stunned, "Did you work all night? Do you want to kill yourself? You just got sick!" I accepted her nagging. I have no energy to bicker with her. "Gosh, Stella. Do you really want to be taken care of by Kane that much?" I glared at Layla while chewing the sandwich that Kane made. Layla took my hint and stopped talking. She must have remembered that I don't like to be ship with Kane and I don't want to hear jokes like that. Layla turned to Kane who was silent this morning. "Kane, you don't have to pick me up during your break. Gabrielle won't have classes later so she will accompany me." Kane nodded then eat quietly. He looked so lethargic as if his soul had left him. Even Layla noticed Kane's gloom. "Hey, are you alright? Or did you catch Stella's cold?" I halted chewing and looked
When I forced myself to focus on the surroundings, I heard the girls talking about him while glancing in his direction."Gosh, that's Kane. This is the first time I saw him in the school's cafeteria." "He is just sitting there but he made the whole place like a high-class restaurant. So handsome."The cafeteria wasn't bad. However, Kane and the other Golden Heirs ate outside as they have time and budget for it. This was the first time Kane use the cafeteria so it caused a ruckus among the students.I inhaled deeply.It's time to make the crowd noisier.....I approached Kane's table step by step. And as I neared his table, I could feel the people's stares on my back which was increasing. I could hear their whispers."That red-hair girl....isn't she the one in the forum?""Is she hitting on Kane publicly?""I thought she and Kane are going out?""F*ck, how can an ugly bitch like her be Kane's girlfriend? Don't say nonsense!""...."Their loud whisper was truly disturbing. I played dum
*** When I went to the parking lot, I saw Kane waiting for me. Since a lot of students ended their classes during this time, the parking lot was a bit crowded. With Kane's appearance, there were a lot more students who chose to stay while glancing at him. My appearance in the parking lot just added spice to the situation. Their whispers become more obvious. Kane saw me and waved at me. I approached him and we left the school together. That little episode was of course included in today's forum by the witnesses. They added bits of their own guesses which strongly point out that Kane and I were dating. The next day and the day after that, Kane and I were always seen together. We went to school using the same car, eat together at lunch in the cafeteria, visited the library together, and left together after school. Some students who were not busy preparing for the exams made a voting poll guessing my relationship with Kane. The majority of the students don't believe that Kane and I
Their tone was filled with grievance and yearning as they looked at Kane. However, Kane squinted at them. Then he looked back at me. When he saw my state, his frown deepened. He took off his jacket and cover me with it."I told you to wait for me before you start confronting them," Kane said angrily as he fixed my hair. Although his tone was angry, his hands were gentle.I was momentarily stunned. We were standing too close and his other hand was still on my waist. He hasn't let go of me yet."...They are the ones who find me and started this." I could not help but defend myself. But it sounded like I was whining."I know. Next time, don't engage with them and avoid them. They can't be reason with.""?" Does Kane know that he has fans like this?When Kane was done fixing my sorry state, he faced Janice and the other girls who stood shocked and unmoving.Janice recovered and under Kane's cold eyes, she cried coquettishly as if she had been wronged."Kane! That bitch is too much! She
On the way home, I was silent.I know that sooner or later, someone would learn my connection to the Golden Heirs and would end up knowing I am a Mackenzie. But I did not expect that I would be exposed during my first year. It was too soon.If my family learned that I am using the Mackenzie name's to get out of trouble, they would come to my door boasting. Especially Victoria.Words like 'I know you wouldn't be able to survive without the family name', or 'You are nothing without Mckenzie's surname' would surely come out of that woman's mouth.She would slap me with facts that I wouldn't be able to survive on my own and the only way for me to live was to come back to the family and follow the family's arrangement.I hated it. I have already escaped from the family's influence and living peacefully for now while they were invested in my sister. I planned to be quiet until I graduated. Once I am stable in my profession, I would change my surname and use my grandmother's surname and liv
After listening for an hour, I came to believe that Kane did really visit me in those times as he told me some of the things he was concerned with. It seemed that he bottled it all up. Kane pouted, "When I came to visit you, aside from the first few times, you don't look like you missed me. You are happy with them. Especially with that person named Hugh. You are being too close to him. Are you sure he doesn't have a crush on you? Whenever your group hang out, he was always there." "Because he is part of the group. Don't worry about Hugh, I think he has a crush on Lilac." "Your dormitory friend? But they looked like they hate each other." "Didn't we also start that way?" Kane chuckled, "Right. It only changed when you played Cupid." I could not help but smile at the memory. Wait.... I slapped Kane's arm. "You are changing the topic. I am still angry at you." Although I said that, there was no really no anger in my heart anymore. I just wanted to make it difficult for Kane for
My consciousness started to stir as I felt someone wiping my face. The wet towel then wiped my neck, arms, and hands. Although I am already aware, my body was numb and I couldn't move. I wasn't in the mood to bother about it. The one who was wiping my hands and face was so gentle in his movements, that I slowly fell to sleep afterward.The grumbling in my stomach woke me up. But the dizziness made me groan.I felt a movement beside me. That person gently brushed the hair away from my face."Dizzy?" His gentle voice was familiar but the aching in my head made me muddle-headed to think bout it further.I muttered, "Head...hurts..."That person massaged my head and spoke in a low voice, "You should drink a hang-over medicine. Here...." That person's voice was low and magnetic. It calmed my heart immediately.With my eyes closed, the man lifted me up until I was able to sit up from the bed. The man grumbled as he helped me drink, "....Paul made me drink you again, right? That man never l
When I disappeared that year, the Cruz family suddenly break ties with the Golden Corp. Then they began attacking the Mckenzie family. There was a huge case involved regarding the murder of Mrs. Cruz. When I first heard about it, I was shocked. According to Denise, the Mckenzie family was behind the accident which caused Mrs. Cruz and the unborn child to die. I put the pieces together and understood why Uncle Tristan used such methods to threaten us. Although it was a bit unfair that I am the one receiving the scare of his threats, I still felt bad about it. It turned out that the Mckenzie was more disgusting than I thought. I don't want to admit that I came from that family. My parents were actually the person who caused so much pain to Kane's family. After knowing the truth, my anger towards Uncle Tristan and Kane dissipated a lot. I had become more obedient as a hostage which in return, Uncle Tristan gave me a bit more freedom. He allowed me to socialize here and let me meet m
Three years later.... Many friends and families of the graduates came to attend the graduation. I have become one of the elite students who graduated with flying colors. I looked around the hall looking for familiar figures. "Stella Mary, congratulations." My classmate, Hugh, with a thick Russian accent, came to congratulate me. He was one of the friends I made here at the university. "Thanks, Hugh. Did your family come?" "They will arrive later. You know how my family always comes late." I laughed at Hugh's answer. "Stella Mary! Congratulations! I know you will come out on top of your course!" One of my dorm mates, Jamie, hugged me. She put the flowers she brought into my hands. "Hey, don't huggle Stella on your own. My turn." Lilac, who came after Jamie, pushed the latter away and hugged me. Jamie and Lilac were both of my dorm mates for three years. We have become friends since then. It's been three years since I stayed at the university. I did not expect I would stay
Snow was falling. As far as my eyes can see, the whole world was covered in a white blanket. Just where the heck am I? Am I in the north pole? I was unconscious the whole time. When I woke up, I was already in this small villa where snow was constantly falling. I bet I am in another country. Because there was no way it was snowing in the middle of summer. And the mountain of snow outside the window just tells me that I am in a cold country where snow was falling for a long time now. I hugged the thick overcoat and felt saddened by the fact that I am a hostage. "Young Miss. The adviser is here." Adviser? I moved my wheelchair and went to the study room. Fortunately, these people did not mistreat me even though my status was a hostage. They provided me with everything I need like food and clothing. But I couldn't get my phone or tablet back. Any kind of communication was cut off. The only people who were allowed to talk to me were these guards. Because I know that it was Uncle Tr
Kane's eyes were bloodshot. "It is you who said to me that I should love only one woman who moved my heart. And it is Stella. I won't love anyone but her in this life. No matter if she was once a Mckenzie, I don't care. Even if you don't accept her, I will only love her. The Mckeznie? To hell with them. I don't care what you do to them. But you have to return Stella to me." Tristan's face turned dark as well. "You can love anyone but not her. She has a blood of a Mckenzie, a red-head-" "I don't care! I love her, Dad! To me, she is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life. If you can't accept that, then I won't force you. Just tell me where she is." "I can't. With her around, our fight with the Mckenzie will complicate you. You are already unstable. If she is by your side, it will affect your decision-" "I am not interested in fighting the Mckenzie. You can fight with them the way you want." "Kane...Are you saying you would rather choose that woman than our family?" Tristan
..... "Master, I have received a call from Young Master Kane. He is on his way here." The head butler came to report to Tristan. The head butler felt uncomfortable for lying to his young master. But he couldn't disobey his Master's orders. Tristan was standing on the window looking at the bright moon above. He did not react to the head butler's report and just continue to stare at the dark sky. When the head butler thought that he would be dismissed, the man asked. "Has she arrived safely?" The head butler bowed and answered, "Yes, Master. The people there called me a few minutes ago that they have arrived at their accommodations." "How long is it until her legs will heal?" "It's about a month, Master." "Don't let her come out of that place then. Watch her closely. If she ever made contact with my son, changed the address. I don't care which country she lives." The head butler hesitated a bit. "Master...I know I am going out of line by asking this, but is it really alright
"I don't believe it as well. So I dig deeper into this so we can prove that the Cruz empire is innocent. However...." "But what?" Kane asked in a heavy tone. "Things got more suspicious. The more I investigate the more I found their movement fit all the missing pieces in the puzzle. I think someone higher up in your company has control over all of this. " "...Send me the details." Kane was having difficulties accepting all of this. He wouldn't believe it as long as he see it with his own eyes. He could not accept that his own people would do this to the people close to him. A while later, he received an email from Eduardo. Kane printed all of them and was stunned when he read every page. If it was other people, they wouldn't be able to find out the involvement of Cruz Empire in this incident. They were meticulous enough and did not leave any traces. However, Eduardo was not an ordinary person. He has the means to dig up and his intelligence could find the minute flaws that the
They were the people who kept sending threats with fresh blood. They are the people who caused me to have an accident.Dread came to my whole being. I looked up at the thin middle-aged man with red eyes.Are they here to kill me?This was the first time I saw them in action. There was no doubt that they were here to harm me.I could not help but tear up.After battling with Mckenzie and persevering, I thought I could finally start a new life without being afraid anymore. But it looked like I could not do that anymore.I stared at the man with tears in my eyes, "Are you here to kill me then?"The thin middle-aged man just looked at me, "I want to. But if I do that, I am afraid it will drive my son insane. Like what happened to me."Huh?Son?Suddenly, the familiarity that kept nagging me found its missing piece. The deadpan face overlapped to the face of a handsome middle-aged gentleman."Uncle Tristan?" I asked in bewilderment."So you still recognize me, huh?"His words confirmed my