Mag-log inhe 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. The Vice Chancellor’s 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.”Hours Later— AVA'S POV. That Same Day. The Glass Penthouse. I sat at the edge of my bed, slowly scrolling through TikTok. The sounds from random videos filled my room. One moment it was music. The next it was somebody dancing. Then a cooking video. Then another trend I didn't understand. My thumb moved lazily against the screen. I was already dressed. A loose armless shirt hung comfortably over my frame. Black maternity pants hugged beneath my belly. Today was finally the day. The hospital had asked me to come in to have my bandages removed. For good. No more wrapping. No more wound care appointments. No more sleeping carefully to avoid aggravating the injury. I couldn't wait. My eyes flickered to the top of my screen. 1:34 PM. My appointment was at two. Still a little time left. I dropped my phone beside me and exhaled. A few moments later, my phone vibrated. A notification appeared across the screen. Your ride has arrived. "Alright." I grabbed my purse f
The Following Morning. Lily's eyes parted open slowly. The white ceiling above her swam slightly in her vision. "Ahh..." A groan slipped from her throat as she shifted beneath the blanket. A dull headache pulsed behind her eyes. The room was bright. Far brighter than she would have preferred. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second before turning onto her side. That's when she saw him. A man lay asleep beside her. Still completely out of it. A soft snore escaped him. Lily froze. Then everything came rushing back. "Fuck." The whisper slipped from her lips. Fragments of the previous night flashed through her mind. The party. The music. The alcohol. The glances they'd exchanged across the room. The way he'd eventually walked over to join her and Hailey. The easy conversation. The laughter. The flirting. The drinks. The decision to leave the crowd behind and find somewhere quieter. "Fuck..." She sat upright abruptly. The movement made her headache spike. Her
A Week Later.At 7PM.Lily's Luxurious Studio Apartment Off Campus.Megan’s birthday.Lily and Hailey stood in the dining area that blended seamlessly into the luxurious living room.The table before them was crowded with snacks, disposable plates, bottles of alcohol, soft drinks, and bowls of finger foods arranged neatly for the evening.A few feet away, Megan adjusted a stack of disposable cups on the tempered-glass center table in the living room.She stepped back.Looked around.Then immediately headed for the kitchen.The refrigerator door swung open.Cold air spilled out.She grabbed several bottles of water and drinks before returning to the living room.The bottles clinked softly as she dropped them into the ice bucket beside the glass table.Satisfied, she made her way toward Lily and Hailey."Thank you for allowing me to use your place."Lily popped a snack into her mouth."Oh, girl, stop that."She waved dismissively."I don't really use this place anymore since I moved in
AVA.Three Days Later.The Glass Penthouse.At 6:30AMThe faint glow of dawn seeped through the thin curtains covering the floor-to-ceiling windows of my bedroom.For a few seconds, I simply stared at them.The room was still wrapped in that quiet darkness that existed just before sunrise fully took over.Somewhere beyond the glass walls of the penthouse, birds chirped endlessly from the woods surrounding the property.I rolled onto my back.My eyes drifted shut.Maybe I could steal another minute of sleep.A minute became three.Then my eyes opened again.This time I knew I wasn't falling back asleep.I pushed myself upright.The blanket slid down to my waist.STAT 102.Midterm.8AM.The reminder instantly chased away whatever sleep remained.I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and slipped my feet into my slippers.The cool floor greeted me.Reaching across the nightstand, I clicked on the lamp.Warm yellow light flooded the room.I squinted immediately."Jezz."My voice came ou
A Week Later.MARY'S POV— AVA'S Friend.The School Library.Mary sat alone at one of the tables in the middle section of the library, a thick textbook spread open before her.The morning sun filtered through the tall windows, casting pale streaks of light across rows of shelves and study desks.The library was quiet.Not completely silent.Just the kind of silence unique to libraries.Pages turning.Pens scratching.The occasional whisper from students studying together somewhere deeper in the building.Nothing more.Mary's eyes moved steadily across the page in front of her.Her lips shifted faintly as she read the content internally to herself.Line after line.Paragraph after paragraph.After a while, she reached the bottom of the page and flipped it over.The crisp paper rustled softly beneath her fingers.She immediately continued reading.Minutes passed.Then she heard footsteps.Approaching.Mary's eyes lifted from the textbook.A guy was walking toward her table.Tall.Chocol
The Following Day.At 9PM.A Fitness Gym Off Campus.Lily’s sneakers moved lazily against the treadmill belt.Step.Step.Step.Slow.Far slower than her normal pace.On her right, Megan jogged steadily, her ponytail bouncing with every stride. On her left, Hailey maintained an easy rhythm of her own, both girls flushed lightly from exertion.The gym buzzed around them.Weights clanged somewhere in the distance.Machines hummed.Music flowed softly from overhead speakers.But Lily barely noticed any of it.Her eyes remained fixed ahead.Unfocused.Lost.“Hey.”Megan’s voice cut through the haze.Lily blinked.“What?”Megan glanced sideways at her while continuing to jog.“Is anything the matter? You’ve been distracted since we got here.”A faint smile appeared on Lily’s lips.A weak one.The kind that never reached the eyes.Before she could answer, Hailey spoke from the other side.“I noticed too,” she said between breaths. “I just didn’t want to say anything. What’s wrong, girl?”Li







