“I ordered you to stop talking. Do you realize you’re just making things worse?” Stella’s voice was firm as she cut Roger off, her eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and concern.
Roger’s eyes widened, a tremor running through them as the weight of her words sank in. His lips quivered, and tears began to pool in his eyes, but he stayed silent, feeling helpless.
Seeing him like that shattered something inside Stella. Her heart ached as she walked toward Jack, her gaze hardening as she bowed in front of him. “I’m truly sorry that Robb hit you. I apologize on his behalf.”
Jack chuckled darkly, wiping the blood from his lip with a taunting smirk. “What’s the point of an apology? He hit me. You’ll need to compensate me for the damage done to me and my wellbeing.”
Stella met his gaze without flinching. “Fine. We’ll pay.”
Jack’s grin grew wider. “Damn. You sure are rich.”
He added with a sneer, “I remember hearing that you two are orphans. You must be quite capable to have earned all that money on your own.”
His words were sharp, and even Justin, who had been trying to remain neutral, couldn’t stand by any longer. “You’re here to learn, not lose your morals!” he snapped. “For a spot, you’re willing to insult and spread rumors about your friend’s sister. Where did all your integrity go?”
Jack, however, doubled down. “You’ve got a relationship with her. Of course, you’re helping her!”
“What relationship?” Justin’s voice was icy, cutting through the tension.
A cold voice interrupted them, and for a moment, the room fell silent. “What relationship?” Weston’s voice rang clear, and everyone turned as he walked into the room, followed by a few others. His presence was commanding, his aura that of someone accustomed to power and respect.
Stella’s breath caught when she heard the familiar voice. Her head turned instinctively, her eyes meeting Weston’s. The coldness in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine, but she couldn’t look away. Weston’s eyes locked with hers for a brief moment before he strode forward, stopping at the table where the pictures were laid out.
He scanned the photos with a casual but calculating air, his fingers grazing over one. When he noticed the image of two people holding hands in a gazebo, a faint, indifferent smile flickered across his lips. “Nice picture,” he commented, his voice laced with cool amusement.
He turned to Jack then, his gaze sharp. “You took these?”
Jack, caught off guard by Weston’s sudden arrival, had no idea who he was. But the man’s presence, his polished demeanor, and the way the teachers at the door greeted him with such deference, made it clear he was someone important.
“Yes!” Jack finally replied, his tone defensive. “I saw them at the booth that day. Mr. Hall and Elle are a couple! Her brother is my classmate. He just transferred here this year. Mr. Hall often takes advantage of his position, giving him high grades and making him the top of the class! But he just moved here, and if it weren’t for his connections, there’s no way he could’ve studied here!”
Jack’s voice grew louder with each word, his frustration palpable. “Our school has always been about fairness and impartiality. I refuse to believe someone like him could just take my spot!”
“If I hadn’t seen them that day…” Jack’s voice quivered with emotion. “There could be more students like me, victims of injustice!”
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