Chapter 24
Ryan’s discomfort was clear as he frowned, his expression guarded. “Don’t listen to rumors. My mom’s the Luna, and she told me to look out for her, so I am. That’s all there is to it.”
Linda’s lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. “Alright. I just didn’t want you to be taken advantage of, that’s all.”
When I reached the classroom, a group of students loitered by the door, laughing and chatting.
One of them, Mia, stood directly in my way.
She was smirking, clearly amused at something. Her skirt was impossibly short, and she stood with her arms crossed as if daring me to confront her.
I leveled her with a cold stare. “Move.”
Mia raised an eyebrow, flipping her hair with exaggerated carelessness.
“You’re really something, Sophia. You left Ryan behind last week, had your driver take off without him, and now you show up like nothing happened? What’s your deal?”
I gave her a dismissive chuckle. “I have my own car, Mia. I don’t owe anyone a ride. Not sure why that bothers you so much.”
The group behind her fell silent, their curiosity piqued. Mia’s smirk widened. “Oh, please. That Maybach? You really expect us to believe that’s your family’s car?”
I rolled my eyes, unimpressed by her attempts to get a rise out of me. “Whose else would it be?”
Mia’s laughter was sharp, cutting through the air. “As if. We all know your parents are long gone, and your brother’s nothing but Ryan’s servant. You’re lucky he hasn’t thrown you out. So why don’t you stop pretending to be something you’re not?”
Her words were dripping with venom, but I had faced worse insults before.
Just as I opened my mouth to respond, a sudden silence fell over the hallway.
Ryan and Linda had arrived at the classroom door, and all eyes turned to them.
Ryan’s face darkened, his usual composed expression cracking. He didn’t look at me–his gaze was Jocked on Mia. Her words hadn’t just disrespected me–they had insulted him too.
A Smil Reborn
Chapter 21
“Mia,” he said, his voice low and dangerously calm, “go sit down.”
Mia blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting him to take my side. She hesitated, then, seeing the steely look in his eyes, quickly gathered her things and slunk to her seat, her face flushed with
embarrassment.
Ryan, ignoring the curious whispers of our classmates, did something unexpected. He walked over
and sat down next to me.
This was new–he had always kept his distance from me at school, careful to avoid fueling any rumors. But today, it seemed, he didn’t care.
Mia shot a look at Linda, her voice a furious whisper. “What’s his problem? She treats him like that, and he’s still protecting her?”
Linda glanced sideways at Mia, a smug smirk playing on her lips.
“Ryan’s mom is Luna. She told him to take good care of the family maid’s daughter, nothing more. So don’t get any ideas.” Her voice dripped with condescension, and she made sure to emphasize “servant’s daughter,” twisting the words for maximum effect.
Mia’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “So that’s why she’s acting so high and mighty? I knew something was off! She even claimed that the car belongs to her family. Can you believe that? Passing herself off as some rich girl. Who’s going to buy into that?”
I kept my focus on the teacher, refusing to let their words get under my
skin.
This petty gossip wasn’t worth my time. The teacher walked in, and I turned my attention to the lesson, determined to drown out the noise.
In this life, I’ll study hard. I’ll change my fate, I silently vowed, furiously taking notes.
After school, I couldn’t shake the thoughts of Lirian from my mind. His image kept flashing in ny head, and I barely registered Ryan’s expectant gaze as we left the classroom.
I hurried past him, practically sprinting to the school
gates.
The moment I reached the entrance, I signaled the driver. “Take me back to the pack–quickly!”
Ryan, who had been watching me rush off, remained behind, puzzled. Linda caught up to him, her voice soft but laced with concern.
22.0%
What’s wrong with Sister Sophia? She’s been ignoring you a lot lately. Did I upset her somehow? I don’t want her to take it out on you.
Ryan shrugged, his expression distant. He had been confused too–more and more lately.
“I don’t know,” he muttered, lost in thought. “She’s different. It’s like… like she’s not even the same.
person.”
