Without wasting a second, Eveline swiftly opened the car's door and walked out. She didn't spare a glance at the onlookers and entered the building.
Eveline didn't want to dwell on what Gabriel would think of her or the rest, as for now, her only priority was to find Alex.
She desired to confront him and inquire as to why he would post those pictures online.
Eveline ran to the second floor and hurried through the hallway to get to the classroom, but she was unable to locate Alex. In addition, several people were now staring down at her, reminding her of their questioning eyes on her.
Despite Eveline's best efforts, she could not help but notice the looks they gave her.
"Ahem-hm." Eveline darted her eyes towards the person standing behind her and heard her speak politely.
"Miss Eveline Miller, will you just step aside? I have to head inside the classroom." Eveline's eyes narrowed at Gracey's sardonic remark, but they widened quickly enough when she saw Tiffany standing next to her.
Despite her confusion, Eveline moved aside to observe Gracey and Tiffany pass her.
Although Eveline would have ignored Tiffany, the derisive expression in her eyes caused her to clench her fist.
She was certain that Tiffany was the one who shared those pictures, but Alex turned out to be the real culprit, and that did not make much sense.
Eveline rolled her eyes and sighed before walking to her seat. She was wondering if it was because of her that Alex didn't show up and that left her disheartened as she lost her chance of confronting him.
Meanwhile, in the deserted playground far from the main building, a boy was shoved in the direction of the tree, pinning his face against the trunk as he sobbed in pain.
"Please let me go. What have I done?" Alex sobbed as he struggled to free himself from the clutch, but Stefan's palm held tight to his face until his hand's veins burst.
"And why should we listen to you?" Pressing his face deeper into the tree trunk, Stefan mumbled while clenching his jaw.
Stefan and Gabriel picked Alex up from the front gate and dragged him to the quiet side of the playground where nobody went.
Gabriel refused to spare Alex when they discovered that he had posted those images and confronted him about why he had done so.
"How about you tell us the truth and we let you go?" When Alex heard Gabriel's voice from the side, his mouth dropped open in disbelief.
Alex swallowed hard as Gabriel stood there with his hand stuffed in his pocket and a deadpan expression on his face.
"W-What truth are you talking about?" Alex stammered as he tried to hide his fear, but as soon as Gabriel moved closer, his nervousness flared up.
With Stefan holding onto him tightly, Alex struggled to free himself but was unable to do so because he couldn't fight the strength of a trained martial arts student.
Gabriel gawked at Alex before signaling Stefan to let go of him.
Stefan yanked his hand away from Alex's face and gasped for air, frantically moving his gaze between the two tall frames.
With a flash of panic still visible, Alex cried, "I-I will complain against you two to the dean. How can you bully me this way?" as he attempted to move past them.
"Go ahead and we will disclose your truth to Dean Marshall. Be prepared to get expelled from the college then," Gabriel said and Alex halted hastily.
Dread marred Alex's face as he shot an anxious stare at Gabriel.
"I told you I didn't do anything," Alex stated, but the next moment he was grabbed by his collar.
"I am going to ask you one last time. Tell me the truth, and you will be spared, body intact." For the first time, Alex began to perspire drops of sweat as he saw the brutal side of Gabriel.
His words, spoken so coldly by someone who barely got along with anyone, were chilling him.
"W-What do you want to hear?" Alex finally caved into his threat, letting go of his stubbornness and trying to cooperate.
****
[Classroom]
Eveline was growing agitated, wondering why Alex had not visited the college, but she was even more irritated by Gracey's friendship with Tiffany.
From what she could recall, Gracey did not enjoy hanging out with people, especially those who were closer to her. However, her developing friendship with Tiffany was making her doubt a lot.
In an attempt to concentrate on the lecture, Eveline pushed her thoughts aside, but then she was struck with the idea of meeting with Gabriel for a class after lunch.
Eveline grimaced, her mood darkening at the prospect of spending time with Gabriel, but she was powerless to say no because she had already told Professor Beckham that she would allow him to tutor him until he returned.
Eveline wouldn't have bothered to hire a tutor but she had lost her faith in studies after her life entangled with Gabriel. She ignored her career in favor of winning his heart. Within the confines of their mansion, where she would handle all household chores by herself, her life was struck down.
Eveline forgot during those years that she was a gifted student with aspirations and objectives. Despite how exhausting life was after marriage, she gave up her dreams for her husband's love.
"Scoff, Eve, your life was no better than an abandoned dog." As a wave of melancholy passed through her, bringing with it the bitter reality of her existence, Eveline thought to herself that even her supposed friend was trying to convince her that she was mentally ill.
The sound of the bell interrupted Eveline's thoughts, causing her to lose track of when the class ended.
Eveline took a moment to compose herself before exhaling deeply and gathering her belongings in preparation for her trip to the library.
Eveline's steps stopped dead in their tracks as she approached the door and saw Gabriel waiting for her outside.
Not only did his appearance startle her, but the students were equally taken aback by the smile that appeared on his face as soon as he saw her.
"..."