Thoughts of Eveline and Gabriel consumed Tiffany's thoughts, and she regretted going to lunch with Gracey.
Tiffany could not find the pair in the cafeteria and was curious about their whereabouts.
"Have you heard? Some students discovered Gabriel and Eveline together in the library yesterday. It seemed like Gabriel was teaching Eveline," Gracey blurted as she was savoring her meal.
Tiffany quickly glanced at Gracey, displaying a bewildered expression on her face.
"Tutoring?" She muttered.
"Yes, I have heard that Eveline requested that Processor Beckham tutor her; however, due to his hectic schedule, Gabriel took his place."
As Gracey's words began to make sense, Tiffany's expression became more serious.
She recalled that Eveline had once confided in her about her difficulties grasping certain topics for the semester, but she had never considered it a ploy to get Gabriel to join the coaching staff.
Even though it was widely known that Professor Beckham was going to leave for a significant seminar on behalf of their college, she still followed him at the last minute to have his most favored students instruct her.
The air around Tiffany suddenly became heavier, and she tightened her grip on the spoon.
Eveline had never concealed anything from her before, but ever since that day, she had been acting aloof toward her.
'So this was all her plan to get closer to Gabriel, by playing hard to get'
Tiffany was aware of Eveline's feelings for Gabriel, but she was afraid to show them, which is why she agreed to seek her help. Nevertheless, this was Eveline's first action behind her back and it made her fume.
"Gracey, I just recalled that I have to collect some notes from Professor Rubik. You enjoy your lunch, we will meet straight for the class." Tiffany excused herself, gathering her bag and walking out of the canteen.
Stepping out of the building, Tiffany was on her way to the library when suddenly someone pulled her, bringing her to a secluded spot.
Tiffany was about to scream but stopped watching the person standing in front of her.
"Alex, what kind of behavior is this?" With a sudden motion, Tiffany withdrew her hand from him and stepped back.
Gasping for air, Alex peered through the wall.
"You don't know what just happened to me?" With his head still turned to the side, as if to avoid being noticed, Alex blurted, almost panicking.
"Did Eveline confront you?" Tiffany asked abruptly, capturing his focus in an instant.
Alex's face was as pale as a ghost, and he was shaking all the time before he shook his head.
Tiffany was getting irritated, but she knew he owed her a lot right now, so she could not just lash out at him.
"Tell me what is it?" Tiffany raised her voice startling Alex and he quickly covered her mouth.
"It wasn't Eveline but Gabriel who confronted me."
Tiffany's eyes widened in shock the instant Alex said those words, and she soon started to perspire profusely.
Tiffany's expression turned ghostly as if struck by lightning in the bright daylight, and she slowly lowered his hand to her lips.
"W-what did he say?" she asked, despite being on the verge of losing it.
Alex informed her over the phone yesterday about Eveline's attempt to confront him regarding the pictures. She immediately advised him to lie to her by saying that someone had sent him those pictures.
Tiffany was sure Eveline would grow weary in her quest for the truth, but she never imagined Gabriel would be the one to approach him.
Alex paused to gather his thoughts before saying, "He wanted to know why I took those pictures and he would make sure that I would be suspended for my actions if I ever lied."
Tiffany's mouth dropped open as she heard Gabriel's harsh words. She sensed that this was not a passing threat, but rather one that needed to be verified.
"And you told him everything," Tiffany muttered, having already witnessed her shortcomings before her eyes.
"No, I didn't," Alex said, startling Tiffany out of her reverie as she scowled at him in confusion.
"I am not that foolish to put our lives in danger by being honest with him," he stated.
"Then how did he spare you?" Tiffany asked, curious to know what he actually said.
"The words I was supposed to tell Eveline I said it to Gabriel," Alex said, washing all the nervousness off her face.
Tiffany clutched her heart and let out a sigh of relief. She was about to have a panic attack, but Alex's astuteness prevented them both from having to deal with the fallout.
"Then why are you hiding?" Tiffany asked abruptly, her usual self taking over.
"Because I don't want anyone to get suspicious of us. I simply wanted to warn you that Gabriel suddenly seems to be interested in Eveline and as promised, you have to stop him," Alex warned, making Tiffany gulp in fear.
From the moment Alex saw Eveline, he was drawn to her. She was the most attractive girl he had ever seen, but his reserved personality always left him stranded.
Alex was always the one left on his own and rarely made friends because of his eerie appearance, which turned off girls from approaching him.
He would consistently take up a bench at the end without anyone ever wanting to converse with him or even acknowledge him. Despite this, he continued to be in awe of the women he saw.
He did stalk a couple of people, but Eveline really caught his attention after she once assisted him with an assignment.
His heart was won over by her radiant eyes and endearing smile, and he started to follow her until his admiration turned into an obsession.
Alex had been watching Eveline the entire time and started to follow her every move, but when he found out that she was partial to Gabriel—a popular guy and her childhood friend—his heart fell.
Alex was so desperate to get his hands on Eveline that he set out to find the person who had leaked the rumors about the couple and eventually discovered Tiffany.
He had originally intended to destroy Tiffany's reputation as a kind of retaliation, but he soon realized that she was the only one who could help him get closer to Eveline, so he started threatening her, and in the end, she gave in to his demands.
The corner of Tiffany's lips curled into a sinister smile and agreed with Alex.
"Don't worry, I won't let them get closer because Gabriel can only be mine"