Chapter 18 : “The Public Opinion”

*Roanne’s POV*

I slid into the wooden desk, the cool surface a stark contrast to the feverish throb of my pulse. My fingers clutched the pen with a sense of urgency that belied the calm I projected, note-taking a futile attempt at normalcy. The professors' speech melded into the background hum of my thoughts, each word heavy with the secrets that now lined my pockets like stones.

"Questions?" The professor's voice punctured my reverie, and I jerked upright, eyes darting across the room, masks of indifference mirroring my own.

"None?" He seemed almost disappointed, packing his notes with a flourish. The class dispersed, the scrape of chairs against linoleum echoing my internal disarray.

"Roanne," the whisper of my name snaked through the corridor as I gathered my books. Michael leaned casually against the doorframe, his presence commanding the space with an ease that spoke of lineage and entitlement, and for that same reason, eyes flickered toward us.

"Waiting for me?" My voice s