[chapter 26. He who ruined]
[part 2]
Selena blinked.
"Hello, Selena. Nice to meet you," he said, smiling at her.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Carl," Selena replied, her voice strained with a forced smile. How could he act as if nothing had happened when he had stripped her of her humanity?
Selena's heart was pounding as she faced Carl- the man who had inflicted so much pain and trauma upon her.
Though it had been years since she had last seen him, the memories of his abuse still lingered like a dark cloud over her mind. Despite her best efforts, her fists involuntarily clenched at the sight of him, and her stomach churned with a wave of seething anger.
Carl's eyes lingered on her for a moment, and for a split second, Selena thought he recognized her. But then he shook his head and dismissed the thought.
How will you know my name when all these years, you call me by a number? Reduced me to nothing more than a fucking number, an object to be used and abused at your whim?
"Continue. I will get back to work," Carl said, turning to Declan.
Selena controlled her emotions. She knew that now was not the time for revenge. She had to keep her composure and focus on the task at hand.
Taking a deep breath, Selena turned to Declan and began moving to the room where the Elite group was present.
But her mind was still racing, and she couldn't shake the bubbling emotion of disgust and loathing that Carl's presence had stirred in her. She knew that she would have to confront him eventually, but for now- she had to bide her time and wait for the right moment.
I am sorry, Declan. But you are my first stepping stone to revenge.
----
Samuel tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Selena to arrive. The seconds felt like an eternity to the anxious teenager. He clenched his hand, feeling the frustration built within him.
Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the sharp sound of a book hitting his head. Viktor stood before him, his eyes darting with mischief. Samuel winced, feeling the pain reverberate through his skull. His eyes were cold as he turned to face his so-called friend.
Viktor arched an eyebrow and asked, "Did you do my homework?" Samuel knew that he had little choice but to comply. He reached into his bag and pulled out a file, which he handed over to Viktor.
Viktor froze. He felt a shiver run down his spine. Viktor had the feeling that he was being watched by a predator, an apex predator.
Selena walked closer to him. Her eyes bore into him with a piercing intensity, as if she could see right through him. He felt like prey, a small animal caught in the gaze of a powerful predator. His heart raced, pounding in his chest like a jackhammer.
A cold sweat broke out on his back, and he felt his palms turn clammy with fear. He could feel the green eyes roaming over him, assessing him with a cold detachment like a snake.
It was as if she was deciding whether he was worth her time or not. He couldn't shake the feeling that he would come up short.
Selena's piercing gaze shifted, replaced by an innocent and confused expression.
"Did something happen? You look pale, Vik?" Declan asked, his tone filled with concern.
Viktor shook his head, trying to dispel the fear- which still gripped him. "No, nothing happened," he muttered, his voice barely audible. He tried to steady his breathing, feeling his heart slow down to a more normal pace.
How could it be possible? Me? Scared by a bastard girl, he scoffed. It must be an illusion.
"Selena," Mirelle jumped from her seat and hugged Selena's arm. Selena's body stiffened at the unwarranted physical contact, her mind racing with disgust. Physical touch was never her thing.
"Mirelle. How are you?" Selena acted coy. "Oh Selena, I've missed you so much! I thought you had run away from school, but I see you're still here," she giggled.
Selena's smile faltered for a moment, catching the underlying message in Mirelle's words. "No, I've just been busy with some personal stuff," she said, her voice naive as if she did not understand the meaning.
I hate to break it to you, honey, but if you think you're manipulative, then I must be the master of it, Selena giggled, her eyes flashing with a hint of amusement. She knew Mirelle prided herself on her ability to manipulate others, but Selena was on a different level.
Mirelle's manipulation contained entertainment, while Selena's manipulation made people thank her for killing them.
"Let's start studying, shall we," Selena gently removed her hand.
They continued studying, and each of them focused on their respective subjects. Kai delved into the world of medicine while Viktor immersed himself in thermodynamics.
Mirelle concentrated on the complexities of linguistics, and Samuel devoted his attention to biochemistry. Declan and Selena poured over the intricacies of statistics, determined to master their chosen field.
"How do we solve this equation," Selena leaned forward, her voice soft and low.
Declan froze as her sweet scent of strawberries enveloped him, causing his heart to thump uncontrollably. She was too close, and her proximity made his mind turn hazy.
She always smelled like sweet and sour strawberries.
Without thinking, he inhaled deeply, taking in more of her scent. Selena's eyes sparkled as she flicked his nose with her finger. "Back to the earth, Declan."
He cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. "Right, the equation. We can use this formula here..." he trailed off, his mind still clouded by the girl's closeness.
Selena giggled, not noticing the effect she was having on him. "You're so cute when you get flustered," she teased, brushing her hand against his arm.
Declan's face turned bright red, and he stumbled over his words. "I-It's not that...I mean, I'm not. I'm fine."
Selena just smiled, oblivious to his discomfort, and the two continued working on the equation, though Declan couldn't help stealing glances at her now and then.
Selena looked at him with a playful smile- oblivious to the effect she was having on him. He couldn't understand how someone could be this unaware of their power over others. Despite his frustration, Declan found himself drawn to her in a way he couldn't fully explain.
~~~
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