Chapter 112
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“Dominic,” she says “Youcane to check on met Iomes hoping
“Stop,” Lent in.
Her smile falters.
“Come here,” I usher her away from her friends, behind the Newher
She looks nervous
“Dominic,” she says getting on her knees “I gotta say I have never done this, md with my heat all awollen, I don’t know how good I’ll be.”
My eyes widen.
“What-Ugh, gods, no Karina. Stand.”
She does, seeming confused. “Oh…then what do you want back here?
“You owe me,” [continue, voice even. “For not rafting you out at Ellie’s mid terms. Using my name to do horrible things. ! could have ruined you. I didn’t. And you’re going to pay it now”
Her brows knit together. “First off, you don’t need to threaten me. Just ask. Second, I don’t
“Okay,” I say. “Then I’m asking”
Silence stretches between us. Karina studies my face.
“What do you want?” she asks carefully.
Igesture with my chin. “For you to go talk to Vivian.”
My eyes flicker though the bleachers toward the girls group, where Vivian stands with them, posture perfect, expression serene. Karina hesitates.
“You’re going to bring up the pit,” I say “Casually. Like it’s nothing. Like it was something you planned together”
Karma swallows. “Like we planned together. Right. Because we didn’t.”
My head tits, “Yeah. I just need you to pretend your asking her about it.”
“Because,” she elongates her words. “You know I didn’t. But you think she did?”
My brow turrows. “Did you?”
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“No,” she waves a hand. “I’ll do it. And if she denies it?”
“Just do it,” I say, scanning her up and down, unconvinced. “But if she does, you’ll let it sit. Either way, you walk away.”
“That’s it?” Karina asks.
“For you,” I say. “Yes.”
She studies me one last time, then nods and heads off, shoulders stiff.
I don’t follow.
I watch. Listening. Ears honed and focused.
From a distance, I see Karina approach Vivian.
She leans in like they’re sharing something harmless.
Vivian’s smile holds.
Then Karina says it.
I recognize the tension shift immediately, the way Vivian’s shoulders go still, the fraction of a pause that betrays surprise.
Vivian recovers from whatever that energy was in less than a second. Her expression softens into something indulgent, almost affectionate, like she’s humoring a child. She tilts her head to Karina and answers lightly.
“…it was just a prank,” she says, voice carrying more than she realizes.
Karina laughs. “I mean, yeah, but you-”
“Come on,” Vivian continues smoothly. “Sisters do things like that. It wasn’t supposed to hurt anyone. Besides you agreed she deserved it”
My jaw tightens. You know. I should of saw that coming.
Karina stumbles. “Well, I wouldn’t say, you know, I said that. But we can agree we didn’t…like her.”
Vivian sighs, dramatic and long-suffering. “I’m not sure what you mean Karina, but if your feeling guilty or something, we can just agree it went too far. I’ll admit that. But honestly? No one was actually in danger.”
A pause.
Then, quieter-but not quiet enough-
“And Ellie walked into already injured. It just seemed worse then it was.”
Karina hesitates. “So… you don’t feel bad?”
Vivian shrugs. “I feel bad it got messy. But she deserved the fallout.”
I don’t wait for the conversation to end.
There’s nothing left to hear.
By the time I turn and leave the gym, it’s all painfully clear.
The pit wasn’t an accident.
The rumors weren’t organic.
The photo was a set up.
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Vivian orchestrated the humiliation, and I made it offical.
The weight settles in my chest like lead.
I doubted her.
I punished her.
I let people tear her apart.
I know what comes next.
I have to apologize.
Not the Alpha version. Not the polished, diplomatic version that smooths over optics.
A real one.
But even as the thought forms, something colder follows close behind.
What does it fix between us?
The damage is already done. The cycle’s complete. We’re back where we started-mistrust, hurt, distance stretched so wide it feels permanent.
Even if Ellie believes me.
Even if she forgives me.
That doesn’t erase what I chose when it mattered.
I sigh as my phone buzzes in my pocket.
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