Chapter 2

Stephanie's pov.

She didn't apologize. Not like I expected her to.

Caroline stared at me like she hadn't just ruined my life and the future I had planned with Ryan. She stood there with one of her hands placed on her hips, while the other swirled the champagne glass in her hands.

She looked flawless, her face glowing even under the dimmed lights.

I shifted to the side, wanting to vanish from her sight but she blocked my path, a smirk spreading on her lips.

“There you are” she said softly. “Pathetic little bitch”

My brows furrowed.

If anyone from campus heard her talk like this, they would never believe it. No one would think the Almighty campus Queen could curse like this.

Caroline Ashford is the perfect alpha princess of the campus. The type of lady anyone and even Ryan, would want to be with.

I dragged in a deep breath, exhausted. I've had enough for the day.

I've been left heartbroken and humiliated, I didn't have the energy to go through another dramatic scene tonight.

I stepped to the side, wanting to walk past her but Caroline also moved, blocking my path.

Again.

Her smirk widened and it was hard to figure out what she was trying to do at the moment.

“You got Ryan” My voice was tired, exhausted. “What else do you want from me?”

Caroline laughed as though I had said something funny.

“You really think I chased after Ryan?” She blinked, looking amused.

I stayed silent.

If I said I didn't care, that would be a lie. I wanted to know what happened, wanted to find out how they ended up together.

Yesterday—

Just yesterday, Ryan still acted like he loved me.

The question burned in my chest and I stared at Caroline, indirectly seeking an answer. I could lie to Caroline about not being curious, but not to myself. She took a sip from her champagne and leaned in closer to me.

“Your boyfriend chased me” She said, voice low and menacing. “Turns out, your boyfriend preferred powerful women to little nobodies like you”

My jaws clenched and I swallowed my words bitterly. But the worst part? I couldn't defend Ryan. Because tonight, I also realized I didn't know him at all.

“Ryan is smart” Caroline continued. “He understands what being connected to my family means for him”

“Power, influence and status”

Caroline rolled her eyes, smacking her tongue afterwards. “Honestly, men like him are pathetic”

My brows furrowed and I tried to piece her words together. My eyes widened when a realization suddenly hit me.

“Wait…..” I whispered. “You’re not mates?”

Caroline laughed. “No”

That single word made my insides turn with confusion. Ryan destroyed our two years relationship for status and power? To be with someone who is not even his mate?

“You can't blame him” Caroline's eyes dragged over me. “He realized dating someone like you would make your worthlessness rub on him”

My chest tightened and I wished she'd just stop talking. But she didn't.

I refused to feel hurt by her words.

I needed Ellen to return. I needed to leave here now.

I attempted to leave again but her words made me stop, making my blood run cold.

“Did you honestly think a beta like Ryan would choose a girl whose family survives on charity from real bloodlines?” She scoffed. “A criminal's family to be exact?”

My body stiffened. My eyes darkened and my fists curled in anger.

Slowly, I turned back to her. “What did you just say?”

Caroline tilted her head slightly, looking innocent.

“Oh” she mocked. “Did that hurt?”

“Insult me all you want” I paused. “But don't include my family”

My voice was stern and that was enough to warn her but Caroline scoffed.

“Is it not true?” She asked, stepping closer to me. “Your family feed off Alphas like goddamn parasites”

Anger burned through my chest and I closed the space between Caroline and I.

“Don't cross the line, Caroline” I warned.

She held my gaze. “And if I do?”

Caroline let go of the champagne flute in her hand and it fell to the ground with a loud thud, shattering across the floor.

Before I could react, she shoved me to the floor, hard. I gasped sharply in pain, realizing my elbow had crashed into the broken glass on the floor.

Caroline towered over me, holding the larger piece of the glass in her hand.

“I hate your guts, Stephanie.” She sneered. “Trust me, if I kill you here, no one will know”

“You are sick” I spat. “Insane”

I thought she was really going to stab me, but for a moment, she hesitated. She turned towards the pool area, staring at the crowd, at the people who were barely watching. I tried to yank her off me but she fought back, struggling to keep me pinned under her.

Everything happened too fast and the next moment, Caroline had slashed her side with the glass, her white dress getting soaked with blood.

A shrill scream escaped her lips and she collapsed beside me, eyes closed, body numb. My eyes widened in shock and I quickly towered over her.

“Caroline?” I called shakily.

She didn't bulge and when I turn around, the music had paused, everyone now staring at us.

At the unconscious Caroline. At me.

The students face widened in terror, their voices overlapping as they whispered.

“Oh my god…..”

“She just stabbed Caroline!”

“Someone call an ambulance!”

I stood up immediately and shook my head sideways, hands trembling violently beside me.

“I didn't touch her” I screamed. “I didn—”

Ryan rushed out of the crowd, his face filled with hatred and anger. “You sick psycho!”

His hand connected with my cheeks and my face snapped to the sides, tears blurring my vision.

I turned back to the crowd immediately, crying with my voice barely above a whisper. “I really didn't do anything to her”

But no one listened. No one wanted to believe me.