The atmosphere in the room was tense. The siblings’ words hung in the air, their implications far more serious than Jack had anticipated. His face drained of color, and beads of cold sweat began to trickle down his forehead. He hadn’t expected things to escalate this much.
“I…” Jack stammered, unable to find the right words. After a long, awkward pause, he finally glared at Stella and Roger, his eyes burning with frustration. “You—” His voice faltered. With no one left to support him, he instinctively turned his gaze toward Weston, hoping for some form of backup.
But Weston didn’t even acknowledge him. Instead, he watched Stella with an intense curiosity, an enigmatic emotion flickering in his eyes.
The person in charge, noticing Weston’s apparent interest in Stella and Roger, seemed to reconsider his stance. He cleared his throat and addressed Jack. “This is not a place for rash actions. You must have proof before you accuse anyone.” He then focused his disapproving gaze solely on Jack. “There are too many entitled students like you who think the world is against them, but fail to recognize their own shortcomings. Rather than whining and slandering, perhaps you should first learn to improve yourself.”
Jack’s head hung in defeat. He knew he had lost. With nothing left to do, he walked reluctantly toward Roger and muttered, “I’m sorry I accused you. I’ll let it go. I hope you can forgive me.”
Roger’s laughter was cold and distant. “So what if you’re sorry? Are the rules of this place meaningless now?” He echoed Jack’s earlier words back at him, and it hit Jack like a slap in the face.
Jack’s complexion paled further, his lips almost turning a sickly green as he stammered, “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have spread those rumors about you. Please, forgive me.”
“Who are you apologizing to?” Roger didn’t even glance at him, his voice a dismissive coolness. Jack, catching the meaning behind Roger’s words, swallowed his pride and turned toward Stella. He walked up to her and bowed deeply, the weight of the situation settling heavily on him.
“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have spread rumors about you and Mr. Hall. I understand how important a woman’s reputation is.” He hesitated, then added, “That’s not what I said when I took those pictures. You and Mr. Hall didn’t do anything in that gazebo. I misjudged the situation, and I was wrong.”
He turned to Justin, his voice sincere, though still laced with the nervousness of his previous outburst. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hall.”
It was hard to tell whether Jack had truly grasped the severity of his actions, but his apology seemed heartfelt. Stella, though conflicted, didn’t want to escalate the situation any further. She took a slow, deliberate breath, then responded, “I can forgive you, but you need to write a letter guaranteeing that you won’t cause any more trouble for Robb.”
Jack’s face twisted in disbelief. “What? Write a letter to Robb?”
The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Stella’s icy glare silenced him, and he realized he had overreacted. With a resigned sigh, he lowered his head. “I’ll do it,” he muttered.
Stella relaxed slightly, her tone softening. “Good. I won’t pursue this further. But as for your academic standing, that will depend on Mr. Hall.”
Jack had hoped that the letter would be the worst of it, but he soon learned otherwise. He felt a chill run down his spine as he heard Justin’s voice, steady and cold.
“I’ll be deducting points from your grades. This incident will be reflected in your final scores. Jack, I hope you can focus on your studies from now on, and stop harboring ill intentions.”
Jack remained silent, his head drooping as he absorbed the criticism.
With that, the matter seemed to come to a close. Stella, taking Roger by the hand, turned and left the office without a second glance. The door clicked shut behind them.
But as they walked away, Stella couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. It wasn’t Jack’s defeat that unsettled her—it was Weston. His presence had lingered over the entire confrontation like a shadow, and now that they were leaving, she felt his gaze following them. His grand entrance, his calm demeanor—it all left her anxious.
With Roger by her side, she felt a sense of discomfort. Weston’s unwavering attention to her had stirred something deep inside, and she couldn’t ignore the unease that crept into her heart.
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