he said flatly, before turning his back on me like I was nothing.
"What a fucking waste of time," he muttered as he walked back into the room, shaking his head softly.
I stood frozen in the hallway.
From inside, I could hear his muffled voice as he told his friends, followed by their laughter, loud and careless.
The sound echoed in my ears, slicing through me like knives.
My body felt hollow. My mind— blank.
Then security appeared, one in front of me, another behind.
"You're not allowed to be here, ma'am," one of them said, gripping my arm.
"I— please, I just—" I tried to explain, but they didn't listen.
They dragged me out, my protests drowned beneath the noise of celebration spilling from the auditorium.
---
THREE DAYS LATER.
School's Senate Building.
The elevator hummed as it carried me upward, its wall pressing cool against my back as I leaned into it, trying to steady myself.
It's been three days since I told Tony I was pregnant with his child, and in that short time, everything has spiraled from bad to worse. Now I've been summoned to the vice chancellor's office.
I didn't need anyone to explain why. The CCTV cameras had been there— hidden in the conference hall backstage— watching, recording. They caught every word of my confession. And somehow, the footage had leaked.
Now I was infamous. The girl everyone whispered about. The liar. The whore. The one who dared to claim she was carrying the golden boy's child. Half the campus spat my name like venom, convinced I was staging a scandal for attention. The other half stared at me with wide eyes, stunned, curious, wondering if maybe— just maybe— what I said was true.
My phone had become a weapon against me. Messages poured in, each one sharper than the last— insults, threats, curses. One girl even stopped me in the hallway yesterday, her voice dripping with hatred as she warned me to stay away from "her man." Her insults had burned, but the fury in her eyes was worse.
The elevator chimed, the doors sliding open with a hiss. The corridor stretched out before me, polished floors gleaming under the lights. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat louder than the last. For a moment, I stayed frozen, staring at the path ahead. Then, with a breath that felt like a prayer, I stepped forward.
Down the hallway, a boy and girl approached, their phones angled slyly, recording me. I dropped my gaze to the floor instantly.
"That's her," the girl whispered, laughter tucked into her voice.
"It sure is," the boy replied, giggling openly.
Their laughter trailed behind me, echoing, clawing at my skin. I forced my legs to keep moving, each step closer to the large door at the end of the corridor. The nameplate gleamed: The Vice Chancellor's Office.
I exhaled sharply, then drew in another breath, before I tapped gently against the it.
"Yes," a woman's voice called.
I pushed the door open. A woman sat at her desk, posture straight, expression unreadable.
"I'm Av—" I began, but she cut me off.
"I know who you are. You're the girl trending. You're here because of the email you received from the VC's office? I sent it myself. You're right on time. I'm the VC's secretary. He's waiting for you in his office." She gestured to the door beside her desk.
"Thank you, ma'am," I murmured, awkward, my feet dragging toward the door. My hand lifted, tapping once.
"Come in," a masculine voice answered.
I swallowed hard, twisted the handle, and stepped in.
Inside Tony lounged lazily on a couch at a corner in the room, his brown eyes locking onto mine the moment I entered. My heart spiked violently. It always did when he was near. His gaze pierced me, steady, unyielding.
"Hey Ava, welcome," another voice said.
I tore my eyes from Tony, shifting to the man behind the desk. Vincent Blackwood. The vice chancellor himself. His smile was faint, unreadable.
"I'm glad you could come. Not that you had a choice," Vincent said, his tone calm, deliberate. He gestured to the chair opposite his desk. "Have your seat."
My legs felt weak as I lowered myself into the chair. You're about to get expelled. The sentence repeated in my mind, over and over, louder each time.
Vincent leaned forward slightly, his eyes locking onto mine. "I know you're scared. You should be. This scandal you've wrapped my son into is not something I find funny." His voice was low, dangerous, his gaze unwavering.
My lips parted, but no words came. My heart pounded too fast.
"You've successfully dragged us into a big mess. Now we manage and control it. The footage of you confessing to my son is out there. It's even been aired on national TV. This college is prestigious. Globally recognized. This is not the light we want the world to see us in." His voice rose, sharper now, cutting through the silence.
My chest tightened. My fingers dug into the fabric of my backpack straps.
"You've left me no choice but to bind you two together." Vincent paused, his gaze hardening. "If you can fucking sleep together, then you can play the perfect couple. For the world to see we're united."
"What the fuck?" Tony whispered.
"Yes. My decision is final," Vincent continued. "Miss Ava will move in with you."