Chapter 106
Chapter 106
“What?” I blinked. “No.”
“Yes you do,” she sniggered, “you always look calm. Like you’ve got everything figured out just because you becaune a Cinderella overnight.”
1 almost laughed.
“Did Chloe put you to this? If you knew how wrong that was-”
“Right,” She huffed. “Whatever. Just… come on.”
She kept walking.
Something about her tone made my chest tighten.
We walked out of the building but into the woods.
Then another turn.
“I have no idea Mrs. Hopkins created an office in the woods,” I said slowly.
Chloe’s minion, whatever her name is, didn’t reply or stop.
My heart skipped. “Chloe minion, I’m stopping here if you don’t tell me your reason for bringing me this way is,”
“Chloe’s minion?” That’s my name in your head?”
She finally turned, eyes unreadable.
“You don’t expect me to know your name without having any important things do with you, do you?” I raised my brows
“Look,” she snapped, “do you want to come or not?”
“I’m still waiting for your reasons before I follow you there?
“Mrs Hopkins wants to see you and she’s at the lake waiting. She asked to meet near the back trail.”
“The back trail?” I frowned. “Why?”
“Just relaying her message.”
I hesitated. Every instinct in me screamed no…
But I followed anyway.
I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets. “You sure this is okay?”
“Yes,” she said quickly. And a little bit on cockiness…
1
We walked past the cleared paths, past the benches our footsteps softened on leaves and dirt.
“Do you come out here often?” I asked.
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9:44 am
Chapter 106
“No.”
Σ
“Then how do you know where you’re going?”
She didn’t answer.
I stopped walking to gaze a little at my surroundings.
She took two more steps before realizing I wasn’t beside her anymore. She turned, irritation flashing across her face before she masked it.
“What?”
“Firstly, this is me appreciating nature. Secondly, this is stupid,” I said. “This doesn’t feel right.”
She scoffed. “You’re being dramatic.”
“I get that a lot,” I replied. “But I’m still not stupid.”
She sighed, rubbing her face. “Look, I was just told to bring you. That’s all.”
“Told by who?”
She hesitated.
“By Chloe?” I guessed.
Her jaw tightened. That was answer enough.
“I’m going back.” I said, turning around.
“Wait-”
“Now where is our Cinderella going to be without lighting this stove.”
I barely took a step before voices cut through the trees.
Slow claps.
Mocking.
“Oh come on, Aria,” Chloe’s voice drawled. “You didn’t think I wouldn’t want a goodbye, did you?”
My stomach dropped.
Chloe stepped out from behind a tree, smug as ever. Two other girls flanked around her–the same ones always hovering at her sides, nodding when she spoke, laughing at the nonsense she say out..
My pulse thundered.
“You lied,” I turned to the girl that brought me.
“Relax.” Chloe said. “We’re not here to fight.”
That’s comforting,” I snapped. “Then what are you doing here?”
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9:44 am P P M
Chapter 106
Chloe smiled wider. “Talking.”
“I don’t want to talk with you under your circ. Talking usually doesn’t involve ambushes like this.”
“Everything feels like an ambush to you,” she shrugged. “Victim mindset.”
“Move.” I clenched my fists.
“No.” She smirked, “do your worst.”
“Move,” I repeated, louder.
“Wow. She’s feisty.“One of the girls laughed.
“Shut up.” Chloe said lazily. Her eyes never left mine. “I just wanted to clear something up before we leave.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
“You owe me honesty,” she said sharply.
I barked out a laugh. “That’s rich coming from you.”
“Cinder Aria, you’ve always aced, think you’re better than us,” she continued. “Everyone here thinks so. Teachers. Counselors. Even Maya.”
“lol, You don’t expect my bestie to think you’re better than me.” Don’t bring her into this.”
BB–vourneri
“Is that why she talks about you like you’re fragile glass,” Chloe sneered. “Like you’ll shatter if someone breathes wrong.”
“That’s because she cherish me the way I cherish her too. Something you’ve never felt with your slaves,” I shot back. “Oops! I meant friends.”
Her smile dropped.
“I saw you talking to a girl from the other school,” Chloe said quietly. “I heard things.”
My chest tightened. “You’re imagining things too much.”
“I heard a name,” she went on. “Ava.”
I blinked, a little shocked. I was sure neither her nor her minions were there that day.
“So?” I said, forcing calm. “What about it?”
Chloe tilted her head. “Who are you really?”
I stared at her. “You don’t get to ask me like that.”
“Oh but I do,” she snapped. “Because people like you always pretend. You walk in with your silly ‘I’m mystery girl‘ and your silence and suddenly everyone likes you.”
“That’s not my problem.”
“It is when it makes people forget about me,” she hissed.
There it was.
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2:44 am P P M
Chapter 106
I exhaled. “This is pathetic.”
Her hand flew out.
Not at me–but at the girl who had brought me here.
“Do it,” Chloe ordered coldly.
“What?” the girl whispered.
“Now.”
“1-1 don’t-”
“DO IT.”
“Do wha….” I barely had time to turn before there was a sharp crack above us.
A sound more like a gunshot than a crack, sound in the air.
Then another.
“Aria!” someone screamed.
I looked up.
The world tilted as branches snapped, leaves exploded into slow motion in my head-
And then pain.
White. Blinding…and Crushing.
Something slammed into my head and everything went silent.
“-oh my God-”
“She wasn’t supposed to be there!”
“I told you this was stupid!”
“Is she breathing?”
I tried to move as noisy whispers sounded around my head.
My eyes feels too heavy and hot to open.
My head feels like it’s split open, heavy and wrong. My vision swam in dark blotches. I tasted iron.
“Aria?” A voice cut through–sharp, panicked. “Arial”
Is that Maya?
I tried to answer but my lips felt too numb to move.
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E85 Voucheni
Chapter 106
“She’s bleeding,” Nora’s voice whispers, shaking. “She’s bleeding a lot.”
“Don’t touch her head!” Jamal yelled. “Get a counselor- and Mrs Hopkins. NOW!”
Footsteps thundered.
Someone knelt beside me. Hands hovered, unsure.
They sucked in a breath like they had been punched. “I’m here. I’m right here. Don’t move.”
“Maya… I didn’t-” My throat burned. “I didn’t do anything.”
“I know,” she sniffs. “I know.”
I try to open my eyes again, my eyes lid fluttered. Shapes blurry and faces twisted.
I could somehow see Chloe.
She stood farther back,her face pale.
“Stay with me,” Maya begged. “Please. Don’t you dare close your eyes.”
“It hurts,” I whispered. “I have to.”
“Don’t you dare. I know it hurts. Just hold on.”
Sirens wailed faintly in the distance.
“T–tell my f–family I love them and y’all are t–the best thing to happen to me.” I sputtered out.
“I love you too.” She cried
I nod slowly as everywhere turns blank.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
