Chapter Forty Four

Thea took a deep breath as Ethan pulled over in front of Zean School of Business, her heart pounding in her chest.

She wasn’t sure she was ready to do this but she had to. Posy is trying to steal the little life she had left and she couldn't let her have that. She's already taken a whole lot from her and she wasn't going to let her take this little one she was building for herself away..

Thea’s grip on her bag tightened as she pushed the door open. She hesitated for a while as she stepped out of the car gently, eyes roaming the school.

A few students glanced her way and then away from her almost without a second thought. Its been a week since the incident, nearly no one has spoken about it at this point.

Thea exhaled and walked down to her class. She didn't try to hide her face despite the urge to do so.

She had dressed carefully that morning, choosing an outfit that was bound to make her invisible. Seth had already left for work when she came down, and a part of her felt like he's been avoiding her..

Or maybe he was just too busy and she was thinking too much of it. Was it because of what happened at the gym? Hell, her body still hummed with the tension of that morning…

She got closer to her class, her head high, her eyes forward. She noticed a few lingering glances, but none of them said a word to her.

Finally, she walked into her lecture room and the class went silent as she headed to her seat.

She settled in quietly, not sparing anyone a glance. If anyone had anything to say, they might as well say it right in front of her.

Just when she was fully settled, a familiar voice cut through the background chatter.

"Well, well, look who decided to grace us with her presence!"

Chloe. And her minions, Sarah and Vivian, trailing behind her. Thea suppressed a sigh.

Of course. Chloe was precisely the kind of person who would relish in another's misfortune.

Thea leans back in her seat, arms folded as they approach, her expression neutral.

Chloe walked closer, a smirk curled on her lips as she leaned on Thea's table.

"Thought you'd never show your face here again, Thea. After that... performance." She exchanged a knowing glance with Sarah, who giggled.

"Everyone saw it, you know. Such a scandal. Not very becoming of a Balmero, is it?" Sarah chimed.

Bella snickered. "You mean, ex Balmero? Her father disowned her, remember? Guess you're not so high and mighty now, are you?"

Thea remained quiet, unmoved by their words. She saw this coming from a million miles away and she had factored this trio into her decision to come back to the business school.

Nothing they said was particularly original, to say the least.

"What performance are you talking about, Chloe?" Thea asked, her voice calm, almost bored.

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Don't play dumb, Thea. The video! The one with you and that... man having sex? It was everywhere.”

Sarah chimed in, "Yeah, it was disgusting! So trashy! Wh0 could have thought the golden child could be so…trashy?"

Thea's lips curled into a challenging smile. "Was it? Funny, I haven't seen any video like that. Have you, Chloe?"

Chloe scoffed. "Of course I have! Everyone has! Though I did try to find it again to show Vivian, and it seems to be... gone. Weird, right?"

A flicker of confusion crossed Chloe's face as she looked at Sarah, who shrugged.

Chole had spent hours the night before, trying to find that damned video but she couldn’t find it anywhere and surprisingly, none of the gossip blogs were discussing the matter either. It was like it never happened.

Thea pressed her advantage. "Gone? How convient.”

“It doesn’t matter! We all saw it and I know you probably bribed someone to take down the video! It's doesn’t matter, we all saw it and we caught you cheating on your ex fiancée, Runes!”

The students in the class murmrur in agreement and Thea sighs, of course they all did but it didn’t matter anymore..

"Random guy?" She let out a small laugh. "The man in that so-called 'video' was my husband, Chloe."

Chloe, Sarah, and Bella froze, their eyes wide with genuine shock. The words hit them like a physical blow. Their mouths opened and closed, no sound coming out.

“That video was posted out of context amd the article that followed it was nothing but lies.”

She wasn't lying, Seth was actually her husband and the video was indeed taken out of context amd the article was intact a lie.

She just chose not to tell the whole world her business or what Posy had done. Not until she ruins the life of her precious stepsister first. Nobody would believe her unless she had proof, something she is working desperately towards.

Chloe chuckled, her face flushed with embrassement. “What are you talking about? How could that man be your husband? The article said…”

“Show me the damned article Chloe and tell me the exact words used cause I'm dying to know what justification you have for this situation.”

Chloe swallowed, it's was starting to look like she was in support of whoever took a video of Thea's intimate time with her husband which is wrong by all standards..

“But you cheated on Runes Sterling! We all know that right?”

Thea folded her arms. “And the proof is a video of me and my husband having sex? I don’t understand your logic Chloe..”

Thea’s eyes roamed the room until it landed on Yumi who was watching it all in silence. “Runes said I cheated on him. Of course he knows all about cheating..”

Yumi's eyes flickered open on seeing Thea staring her down. Does she know something? Does she know she's been with Runes long before her engagement got broken?

Yumi leaves discreetly, avoiding Thea’s piercing gaze as she hurried past the crowd that has now gathered in the lecture hall.

"And as for being 'ashamed,'" Thea continued, her voice gaining strength. "Why should I be ashamed of having sex with my husband? It's what married couples do. Or perhaps that's a concept beyond your understanding of relationships?" She gave Chloe a pointed, disgusted look.

Chloe's face paled, then flushed red as the students peeping into their class now stare at her in disgust.

Chloe looked at Sarah and Vivian, who were now staring at her with fear, quickly trying to distance themselves from the situation.

They knew better than to push this any firther, especially now that Thea clarified what the video was about.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Thea said, "Move away from my desk, lectures will start soon. Unlike some people, I actually value my education. Perhaps you should try it sometime, instead of wasting your time spreading baseless rumors."

Chloe amd her minions leave almost immediately, hiding their faces in embrassement. They looked stupid and there’s clearly no recovering from that now.

The students who had witnessed the exchange quickly disappeared, whispering amongst themselves. Runes infact said Thea was cheating on him but where is the proof that she did? And the video? It was just a video of her and her now husband being intimate? How low are the Sterlings willing to go to paint Thea in a horrible light?

They all had something to post of Wetalk now!

A small smile touched Thea's lips, her revenge was just getting started.