1

I slid the withdrawal form back across the desk to Celine.

"Three hundred thousand euros."

I pointed at my latte-stained shoes.

"Are you going to wipe them yourself, or do I need to show you how?"

Celine planted both hands on the desk and leaned in, stunned.

"You're about to go down, and you're still acting like a princess?

"I wouldn't pay 3,000 for those shoes.

"Sign it, get out of this school, and stop torturing Lucas!"

I looked up and swept my gaze over the crowd behind her.

Dozens of people held up their phones, flashes on and cameras pointed straight at me.

The person in the photo Celine had slapped on the desk was Lucas, all right.

My personal bodyguard.

To avoid attracting the attention of my family's enemies, he posed as a student on campus.

Who would have thought that keeping a low profile would become proof that I was a bully?

I leaned back in my chair and tapped the desk.

"My dad pays him ten million euros a year to be my bodyguard.

"Which school rule did I break by putting him to work?"

The whole class froze for a second, then burst out laughing.

"Ten million euros? Why not just say your dad's a sheikh?"

"What a fancy way to describe bullying. Shameless!"

"Lucas wears the same worn-out shirts every day and eats the cheapest food in the cafeteria.

"He'd never put up with this if you weren't forcing him!"

Celine jabbed a finger in my face.

"Hear that? Everyone sees exactly what you are!

"You're not just cruel. You're a liar too.

"If you don't sign today, you're not walking out that door."

The door of the lecture hall swung open.

Professor Martin Weir walked up to the podium, his notes tucked under his arm.

"What's all the noise? The whole building can hear you."

Celine hurried over and handed him the photo.

"Professor, we're taking a stand against bullying.

"She's been abusing our classmate Lucas Reid for a long time.

"She's made him stand in public as punishment, and she's beaten him black and blue."

Weir pushed up his reading glasses, his face darkening.

He turned to me.

"Behavior like this does serious damage to this school's reputation.

"Apologize to Lucas in public, right now. You're suspended pending an investigation, and you'll cooperate with the student council."

I was so angry I laughed.

"Investigation?

"You haven't even checked whether any of this is true, and you've already decided I'm guilty?

"Did you look at the security footage? Is there a medical report on his injuries?

"You're suspending me over one photo of some guy's back that she got God knows where?"

Weir's expression hardened, and he slapped the podium.

"Celine Lawson is a trustee's daughter, and she's student council president.

"It's her duty to uphold justice and fairness on this campus.

"Are you saying she'd make something like this up just to frame you?"

What airtight logic.

The trustee's daughter stood for justice, so apparently this "fake heiress" deserved to be framed.

I stood up and smoothed down my clothes.

"If this school won't listen to reason, my lawyers can do the talking.

"The price of these shoes, plus damages for the distress your slander caused.

"You'll pay every cent."

I picked up my bag and started to leave.

Celine was quick. She grabbed my bag strap.

"You beat someone up and think you can just walk away?"

As we tugged at the bag, an old pocket watch fell out of its side pocket.

It was the emergency comm device Lucas had given me before he left.

It looked worn out by design. Perfect camouflage.

Celine picked it up and held it high for the whole class to see.

"Look, everyone!

"This is the heirloom Lucas always carries!

"He can't even afford a bottle of water. Why would he give something this valuable away?

"You stole it from him. I know you did!"

The room erupted, the shouting growing louder and louder.

"Stealing a poor kid's heirloom? Is there anything she won't do?"

"Call the cops! Thieves like her belong in jail!"

I kept my eyes locked on the watch in Celine's hand.

Inside was a top-level tracking and alarm system linked directly to the international security agency.

If anyone tampered with it, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"Put it down."

I kept my voice low and cold.

My stare unnerved Celine. She stepped back half a step without thinking.

Then she straightened up again.

"Feeling guilty, are we?

"This is important evidence. The student council is confiscating it under the rules.

"When Lucas gets back from the lab, I'll give it back to him myself."

She shoved the watch into her pocket.

Weir nodded his approval.

"Celine is doing the right thing. We can't let a single piece of evidence go missing.

"As for you, leave this building immediately and wait to hear what your punishment will be."

I looked at Celine's smug, self-righteous face.

"I'm warning you one last time.

"If you take that, you won't be able to handle what happens next."

Celine snorted and patted her pocket.

"What happens next? I'd love to see what a fake princess like you can do to me!"