Lila's eyes widened as she scrolled through her expression a mix of shock and concern. Aurélia noticed the change in her demeanor and asked, "What's wrong, Lila? You're being unusually quiet." Aurélia's curiosity got the better of her, and she pressed on, "Is there something on your phone that you don't want me to see?" Her tone laced with worry.
Lila hesitated before responding, "I don't think you need to know about this." Aurélia reassured her, "Lila, if it's about me, I can handle it. Whether it's good or bad, I promise to remain calm." Lila relented, and the three friends sat down. Lila showed Aurélia that images on her phone-pictures of Isaiah carrying Aurélia to the limousine and another of them together at the restaurant where Aurélia worked.
Aurélia's reaction was unexpected- a wry laughter escaped her lips. Asher and Lila exchanged concerned glances. Suddenly, Aurélia stood up and rushed out of the room, leaving Asher and Lila to follow her. Asher turned to Lila, his brow furrowed with worry,"Where's she going?"
Lila shook her head,"I have no idea, but let's follow her." Aurélia evaded Asher and Lila, hiding from their searching eyes. Meanwhile, she navigated through the campus, driven by a singular focus-confronting Isaiah, the perceived source of the malicious rumors. She walked, Aurélia encountered a group of girls who sneered at her. "Look at this trash, working as a rag waitress in a poor restaurant," one of them jeered. Aurélia chose to ignore them.
However, her progress was halted by an arrogant voice. "Where do you think you're heading?" Gabriella, Isaiah's girlfriend, taunted, her voice dripping with condescension. Aurélia turned to face her, and Gabriella, flanked by her three equally haughty friends, blocked her path.
"I don't want to pick a fight with you, Gabriella," Aurélia said calmly. Gabriella sneered, her finger jabbing at Aurélia's face. "You've already picked a fight with me, poor rag. You think you can seduce my boyfriend and get away with it?"
Aurélia stood firm, her voice unwavering. "I have no idea what's going on, but whatever game you and your boyfriend are playing, it's over." Just then, Asher and Lila arrived, having finally tracked down Aurélia. They approached the tense scene, ready to intervene if necessary.
Gabriella's face reddened with rage. "How dare you talk back to me? You are nothing but a poor, insignificant rag!" She raised her hand to slap, Aurélia, but Aurélia caught it mid air. "I may be poor, but I won't let you humiliate me," Aurélia declared, her voice firm and brave. Gabriella seethed with anger and humiliation as Aurélia turned and walked away.
Aurélia's swift pace was abruptly halted when a hand yanked her into a nearby room. The door closed behind her, and she found herself face-to-face with Isaiah once again. Isaiah's hand clamped over Aurélia's mouth, silencing her. Her eyes blazed with anger as she struggled to free herself. Asher and Lila passed by the room, searching for Aurélia, but she was hidden from view.
Aurélia's teeth sank into Isaiah's hand, forcing him to release his grip. "Stupid girl, why did you bite me?" Isaiah growled. Aurélia's eyes flashed with defiance. "You deserve every punishment I'm serving you."
Isaiah's face inches from Aurélia's, his whisper sent shivers down her spine. "I know about the rumors, the photos. You seem to know who's behind it. Didn't I warn you not to mess with me, Aurélia?" Tears welled up in Aurélia's eyes as she pushed Isaiah away. "How could you do this to me? What did I do to you? I knew you were involved!" Her voice trembled, and tears streamed down her face.
For once, Isaiah was taken aback by Aurélia's emotional response. He was a master of manipulation, but Aurélia's tears left him speechless. Aurélia flung open the door and stormed out, leaving Isaiah stunned and questioning his own behavior. "Why didn't I slap her or shout back? I'm not like this," he muttered to himself, his arrogance momentarily shaken.
Aurélia sat alone by the campus water fountain, overcome with emotion. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, her heart heavy with sorrow. "What did I do Isaiah? Why is he punishing me like this?" she whispered to herself. Asher, searching for his friend, finally found Aurélia sitting by the fountain. He sat down beside her, offering his hanky to wipe away her tears. Aurélia smiled weakly, apologizing for her emotional state.
Asher reassured her, "We're friends, and friends help each other." Aurélia's smile brightened slightly, and Asher encouraged her, "That's the beautiful smiling face you have to show." Asher's expression turned serious. "I think my brother is behind this. He's capable of ruining someone's reputation without batting an eyelid. He's just like his father...or sorry our father."
Aurélia's curiosity was piqued. "How did you know?" she asked. Asher's eyes clouded over, and he began to share a painful part of his past. "I'm not my father's beloved son, not since my mom left. I grew up with my dad and Isaiah. Isaiah's mom died in a car accident when he was just five. The doctors said the trauma might have contributed to his anger and arrogance." Asher's voice was laced with a mix of sadness and concern as Aurélia listened intently.
Aurélia's expression softened with empathy. "I'm so sorry about what happened to your family, Asher." Asher's jaw clenched, determination etched on his face. "It's in the past, but I need to put a stop to whatever Isaiah is planning. He's gone too far this time."
Aurélia's eyes sparkled with gratitude. "It's okay, Asher. I can fight for myself. I don't want to involve you in this." Asher's hand closed around Aurélia's, his touch warm and reassuring. "Don't worry about me, Aurélia. I can handle my brother, even if we're not on good terms. I'm not going to let him bully you without doing something about it."
Asher stood up, gesturing for Aurélia to follow. "I think Lila is looking for us,"he said. Aurélia smiled, gratitude in her eyes. "Thanks for the comforting words, Asher." They walked together as Lila appeared, relief written across her face. "There you guys are!" I've been searching everywhere. Where did you find her?" she asked nodding toward Aurélia.
Asher replied,"I found her sitting by the fountain." The trio headed to the campus cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. As they sat down, Lila mentioned, "I heard there's a house party tonight, but I couldn't find out who's hosting it." Asher chimed in,"Actually, it's my brother who's organizing the party."
Lila's face fell, her voice tinged with disappointment. "Oh, I don't think Aurélia and I will be attending." She was a self-proclaimed party animal, and the prospect of missing out on the fun was clearly unsettling." "You can go,Lila. It will be fun without me, and I have to work at the restaurant anyway." Aurélia said.
Lila's expression turned resolute. "I'm not going without you, Rory. I'll just stay home instead." Asher asked Aurélia curiously, "Where's your restaurant?"
She replied,"Hmm... It's along the skyscraper, Xander mall. It's a small place, but the food is great."