Chapter 70
I smiled lightly, trying to keep my voice casual. “It’s not like that. We’re just… familiar with each
other. That’s all.”
Familiar wasn’t even the right word. Lirian and I had history–a past life’s worth of history, though none of them would ever know that.
In this life, everything was more complicated. I wasn’t sure what Lirian thought about me now.
Did he remember? Did he feel it too, that strange sense of connection that seemed to pull us together? I had no idea.
They looked unconvinced, but before they could continue their questioning, one of them blurted out, “Your family is really rich, right? We’ve heard things…”
“Thought I was adopted by an old man?” I cut in, my voice sharper than I intended. I didn’t flinch from the topic, even though I knew it was one of the nastiest rumors floating around. I saw the way their expressions faltered, the way they shifted uncomfortably, caught off guard by my directness.
“That’s what people say,” one of them admitted, her voice smaller now.
I couldn’t help but laugh, though there was no humor in it. “With my family’s financial resources, it’s more likely I’d be adopting someone else, not the other way around.”
There was a collective gasp, their eyes wide with shock and awe. It was the kind of reaction I expected, but it still amused me to see how quickly they were to switch from judgment to admiration. They practically scrambled to exchange contact information with me after that.
After saying goodbye, I headed back to the classroom, feeling a strange mixture of satisfaction and weariness. As soon as I walked in, I felt all eyes on me. The weight of their stares was heavy, filled with assumptions and questions they wouldn’t dare ask alou
“You’re quite happy that we lost the match, aren’t you?” the boy at the front table sneered, his tone
huh?” dripping with jealousy. “Being looked at by Lirian, you think you’re pretty great,
I let out a light laugh, amused by his bitterness. “What? Are you upset he didn’t notice you instead?
The boy’s face turned red, and he quickly shut his mouth, clearly not expecting my retort. I could see him fuming silently as I turned away, satisfied.
Ryan, who had been sitting at the back, returned after a while. He didn’t say a word, but I could feel
Chapter 70
the tension rolling off him in waves. He was furious, but that wasn’t unusual. Ryan was always pissed whenever he lost to Lirian.
In the past. I might have cared. I used to comfort him after every match he lost, trying to soothe his wounded pride with gifts and sweet words, assuring him that he was better than Lirian. But those
day’s were over.
I glanced at Ryan from the corner of my eye, noticing how his jaw clenched and his fists tightened. He’s still angry, I thought to myself, but this time, I felt nothing. No urge to console him, no need to make things better for him. Ryan had made it clear how he felt about me, and I wasn’t going to waste my time anymore.
As the bell rang and class ended, I grabbed my things and walked out of the classroom. Ryan stood op, his movements quick and agitated, and I heard Linda call out to him, trying to catch up, but he ignored her completely. He was focused on me, and that was never a good sign.
I barely made it to the stairwell when Ryan caught up, grabbing my arm with a force that made me stumble slightly.
“Ryan, what are you doing?” I asked, my voice laced with annoyance as I looked at him, confused by
his sudden aggression.
Ryan’s eyes were red, his usual cocky demeanor replaced by something raw and desperate.
“Are you really planning to stay with Lirian from now on? he asked, his voice low but intense.
I blinked, taken aback by his question. “Stay with Lirian? Where was this coming from?”
Ryan had never cared about my relationship with Lirian before. In fact, he used to mock me for it.
“What are you talking about?” I said, trying to pull my arm free, but his grip tightened, his fingers digging into my skin.
“You used to chase after me,” Ryan continued, his voice bitter. “Every time I lost to Lirian, you’d be there, telling me I was better. But now…” He trailed off, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place–anger, jealousy, hurt?
I shook my head, exasperated. “Ryan, don’t you remember how much you hated it when I followed you around? You told me I was a nightmare, that every day I bothered you was another day you wished I’d disappear.”
