Chapter 10: The Uninvited Defender š„š„
The Golden Cage š°š„
The atmosphere in the cafeteria remained suffocating. Baby Doll sat frozen, the silver fork in her hand feeling like it weighed a hundred pounds. š“ Every time she took a bite, she felt the eyes of the entire school burning into her back. But worse than the stares was the feeling of Prince's gazeāheavy, possessive, and unyielding. šļøš¤
Prince leaned back, his arm still draped casually over her chair, his fingers occasionally brushing against her shoulder. It was a silent declaration to the world: She is mine, and I am her universe. šš
"You're shivering," Prince murmured, his voice dipping into that dangerously low tone that always made her heart skip a beat. āļøš He didn't wait for her to respond. He took off his expensive school blazer and draped it over her shoulders. It was heavy and smelled strongly of himāsandalwood and power. š§„āØ
To anyone else, it looked like a romantic gesture. To Baby Doll, it felt like being branded. š·ļøš„
The Sound of Defiance šš
Suddenly, the heavy silence of the cafeteria was broken by the sound of firm footsteps. š£ They weren't hesitant like the other students; they were bold. A shadow fell over the mahogany table, blocking the sunlight from the grand windows. āļøš«
Prince didn't even look up. His eyes remained on Baby Doll's face. "I thought I made it clear that no one approaches this table," he said, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. šš¬ļø
"And I thought Saint Jude's Academy was a school, not a prison," a sharp, mocking voice replied. š£ļøš¢
Baby Doll gasped and looked up. Standing there was Liam, the captain of the fencing team and the only person in the school whose family was wealthy enough to challenge Prince's influence. āļøš”ļø Liam was the polar opposite of Princeāwhere Prince was dark and brooding, Liam was bright, athletic, and wore a smirk that didn't fear the devil himself. šāØ
The Clash of Kings š¤“ā”š¤“
Prince finally lifted his head, his eyes turning into shards of ice. š§ "Liam. I see you've grown tired of having all your teeth." šš«
Liam didn't flinch. He looked directly at Baby Doll, his expression softening for a split second. "Are you okay, Baby Doll? You look like you're being held hostage." š„ŗš
"She's fine," Prince snapped, his grip on Baby Doll's shoulder tightening. āļø "She's exactly where she wants to be. With me." šš¤
"Is that true?" Liam asked, stepping closer to the platform. š The entire cafeteria held its breath. This was the moment everyone had been waiting forāthe first person to ever stand up to the Tyrant Prince. šš±
Baby Doll looked at Liam, then at Prince. She wanted to scream for help, but the fear of what Prince would do to Liamāand to herākept her tongue tied. šāļø "I... I'm fine, Liam," she whispered, though her eyes pleaded for a miracle. š¢š
The Spark of War š„āļø
Liam laughed, a dry, bitter sound. "You're a coward, Prince. You hide behind your family name and keep a girl locked up because you're afraid she'll realize how pathetic you really are the moment she has a choice." š£š„
Prince stood up slowly. The chair screeched against the floor, a sound like a dying animal. š The tension in the room snapped. Students at the nearby tables scrambled away, sensing the impending explosion. šāāļøšØ
"Say that again," Prince whispered, his face inches from Liam's. šš
"I said," Liam repeated, his voice echoing through the hall, "Let. Her. Go." š£ļøš«
Prince didn't waste another second. In a flash of movement, he grabbed Liam by the collar and slammed him against the nearby pillar. š„š§± The sound of the impact made Baby Doll scream. š±š
"Prince, stop! Please!" she cried, rushing forward to grab Prince's arm. šāāļøš
Prince looked back at her, his eyes glowing with a terrifying, possessive fire. š„š¤ "Stay back, Baby Doll. This is what happens when people touch my things." šŗāļø
The Cliffhanger ā³š¬
Prince pulled back his fist, his knuckles white with rage. Liam grabbed Prince's wrist, struggling to fight back. It was a battle of titans, and right in the middle was the girl they both claimed to want to protect. š¤ŗš
Baby Doll stood there, tears streaming down her face, realizing that her life at Saint Jude's had just turned into an all-out war. š«š¹