"Did she just ruin your $15,000 dress?" Harper, standing beside Kai, exclaimed in a sharp tone, ensuring everyone heard her clearly.
Elena hurried over to Rihana, feigning intense worry. "Oh my goodness," she exclaimed, then continued theatrically, "Wasn't this the dress you loved most?"
'Why does the dress that gets spoiled always have to be the favourite one?' Liora thought.
Rihanna, unlike Harper and Elena, chose to stay quiet rather than behave foolishly. Her piercing gaze locked onto Liora, who held her breath, her stomach twisting with unease.
The cafeteria had gone quiet. Some students continued eating, indifferent, while others eagerly watched, sensing entertainment.
"I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. M-my leg slipped…" Liora stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. She cursed her fate, who was keeping colliding her days with Donovan and now his girlfriend. She quickly glanced at Donovan, who shook his head in disappointment.
Liora could only imagine what was going through Donovan's mind. First, she had set her sights on him, and now she was taking aim at his girlfriend. At this rate, his entire family could be next on her list. Really, who could blame Donovan if he started seeing her as a crazy stalker—or worse, an obsessive admirer willing to go to extreme lengths for his attention?
Rihana took a slow, deep breath and turned her gaze toward Donovan, who met her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Donovan asked.
Rihana nodded. "It's just food." She smiled at Donovan before shifting her attention back to Liora. "I understand it was an accident…"
Rihana didn't take a single step toward Liora, primarily because of the mess on the floor in front of her caused by Liora. She knew stepping forward would only make things worse, dirtying her already ruined dress further.
"Let's go to the girls' changing room. Get this dress dry clean," Rihana said, her voice polite and controlled.
Liora quickly nodded, feeling gratification towards Rihana as her calm response diffused the tension that rose inside her after hearing the cost of the dress.
There was no way she could muster $15,000 or ask her mother for help. How could she do that? Her mother would likely demand that she return to Avalon City, and Liora knew she couldn't face that, especially not now that Sven was here, joyfully living his life at the cost of her father's life.
Standing behind her, Sia and Yo let out a collective sigh of relief. They were grateful that Rihana hadn't demanded the $15,000 or insulted Liora. The two friends shared a glance before looking at the idol Rihana. If only all wealthy people could be like Rihana—elegant, poised, and effortlessly understanding. It was a refreshing change from the typical stereotypes they see, and they couldn't help but have respect for Rihana.
"I'll go with her to the changing room. See you in a bit," Rihana said, glancing at Donovan before motioning for Liora to follow.
Kai and Logan appeared to be struck by Rihana's demeanour, while Donovan's thoughts were preoccupied with something different.
As Liora trailed behind Rihana, her eyes caught sight of Sven walking with the male student. He was giving the same vibes as Sofia. Timid one. And they were heading in the same direction as before, toward the tree.
Liora made a mental note before quickly looking straight ahead.
Passing students giggled and whispered, amused by Rihana's once flawless hair now streaked with food. But Rihana didn't care. She kept walking with her usual poise, with calmness and confidence.
Walking further, Liora's eyes fell on Caspian, whose expression was anything but pleased. He was walking with two people, a man and a woman and his gaze flickered toward Rihana before settling on Liora.
Before Liora could meet his eyes, she quickly looked away, focusing on the path ahead.
Once they reached the women's changing room, Rihana turned and smiled at Liora with practised grace. "I'm going to take a shower now. Wait until I'm back."
It took nearly two hours before Rihana finally finished—showering, drying her hair and makeup and changing into a fresh set of clothes brought by her friend. She carefully folded the soiled dress into a paper bag, then stretched her hand toward Liora.
"Take this," she said smoothly. "As you already heard, this dress cost $15,000, which I know you can't afford—not in this lifetime, at least."
Though her tone remained polite, the words sent an unexpected chill through Liora. The way Rihana spoke and flaunted her wealth—it scratched at an old wound she had buried deep inside her consciousness. A memory of Silvia.
Liora pushed the unease away. She wouldn't think about Silvia. She wouldn't think about what had happened. Instead, she clenched her fingers tightly and kept her face neutral.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," she murmured as her eyes were fixed on the floor.
Rihana was right. She couldn't afford a $15,000 dress, and honestly, she didn't feel it was worth it either. If she ever had that kind of money, she would instead take a vacation, make an investment, or even buy meals every weekend for those in need. Something that felt more meaningful to her.
Rihana held out a business card between her index and middle finger, prompting Liora to meet her eyes before shifting her attention to the card.
"Bring the dress to this address. They specialize in handling expensive clothes. You can't just hand something like this to any dry cleaner. You understand, right?"
She smiled, but there was an unmistakable condescension in her tone.
Liora nodded, taking the card.
"Go now and bring the dress. We can't let it dry completely and leave a permanent stain. Otherwise, you might find yourself obligated to pay $15,000 for it." Rihana's voice was sweet, but the threat was unmistakable.
Liora exhaled sharply, then looked up at her with a matching smile. "Maybe you shouldn't have taken two hours if you were that concerned about the dress."
With that, she turned and walked away before Rihana could say anything more. She cursed her luck. What a day.....no Everday...!
Once Liora stepped out of the changing room, she glanced down at the paper bag in her hand and then toward the direction of her classroom. A sigh escaped her lips. Only an hour and a half remained before her final lecture. She already missed one and a half hours of class. She needed to get this done quickly—before Rihana found another excuse to pin more blame on her or, worse, demand an even more outrageous sum for the dress.
Thankfully, she had her wallet and phone with her, saving her a trip to her locker. With reluctant steps, she left the campus, hailed a cab, and gave the driver the address.
Liora stepped out after paying the driver, who stopped in front of Seasons Hotel. She stared at the grand hotel building with approximately 2000 rooms. Expensive cars pulled up one after another, guests stepping out as valets rushed to assist them.
She took a deep breath, adjusted her grip on the paper bag, and walked inside. The hotel lobby gleamed with elegance, high ceilings, golden chandeliers, and a polished marble floor that reflected everything like a mirror.
"Why would Rihana send me to a hotel for dry cleaning?" Liora pondered, her thoughts racing. The more she reflected on Rihana's behaviour, the stranger it seemed that the elegant woman hadn't bothered to ask her name even once.
'Shouldn't you want to know the name of the person whose money or dress you are dealing with?' It struck Liora as odd.
Liora could always ask Kai to return the dress for her or even reach out to......Nova. At least she had options. But the idea that Rihana thought she was just another nameless face in the crowd stung just a bit. 'Whatever.'
'Rich people. Rich thinking.'
Maybe this was how the wealthy handled their laundry—five-star service for their designer clothes.
Reaching the reception, she handed over the card. "I was told to drop this dress off for dry cleaning here," she said in a hushed tone. She suddenly felt self-conscious. People around her were waiting to check in, and here she was, discussing laundry.
The receptionist took the card, scanned it briefly, and then smiled. "Please take the lift to B1. Once there, follow the signs to the right. You'll find the dry cleaning service there."
"I... have to take it myself?" She had expected the receptionist to call someone to collect it, not send her into the unknown depths of the hotel.
"Since you're not a hotel guest, you must deliver it personally," the receptionist replied with another practised smile.
With a sigh, Liora took back the paper bag and stepped into the elevator. The descent to B1 felt unnecessary, and when the doors slid open, she found herself in a dimly lit basement corridor.
The atmosphere was starkly different from the grand lobby above. The walls were dull, painted in an off-white that seemed to absorb more light than it reflected. The air carried a faint scent of detergent mixed with something metallic, something she couldn't quite place.
As she stepped out, the elevator doors closed behind her with a soft chime, leaving her surrounded by eerie silence. The only sounds were nothing absolute silence.
She walked forward, following the instructions given at the reception. The corridor stretched ahead, turning sharply to the right. She paused.
"Laundry service in a place like this?" she muttered under her breath, gripping the bag a little tighter.
She turned the corner. A green metal door at the far end had a sign above it: Cleaning Services.
Her pulse quickened. She had never been to a hotel before. It was her first time, and it would be her last time, too, Liora thought. How can a hotel basement look so creepy?