Todos los capítulos de The Frame that Failed: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 20

The cramped restroom felt sealed shut as the air turned suddenly cold.Aelia's dark eyes held back a churning tide of emotion, weighed down by the realization that she had just been outmaneuvered.Sebastian looked down at her and let out a quiet laugh. "So what if it was? You've always stood above everyone else. It probably never occurred to you that the man you once ground into the dirt would one day find his footing and return to collect every debt you owe him, in person."Something dark flickered in Aelia's eyes. She pressed her fingers against the cold edge of the counter and tightened her grip until her knuckles paled."Sebastian, it's been years. Did you really have to take it this far?" she demanded.Sebastian looked as if he had just heard the greatest joke of his life. "Me? Take it too far?"The last trace of warmth vanished from his eyes. Without hesitation, he raised his arm and rolled up his suit sleeve. The cold light fell across his exposed forearm, revealing a shal

Something strange and uneasy flickered in Aelia's eyes, but she denied it on instinct. "I only approached him because we agreed I would. That's all it was.""I don't believe you!" Jordan's voice rose as he stared at her. "Unless you rig his exam somehow and get him disqualified for a violation. If he's completely out of the running, then I'll believe you. Otherwise, you're protecting him..."Her brow slowly furrowed. "Jordan, do you understand that something this extreme could ruin someone's entire life?""I don't care! All I know is that if I don't beat Sebastian, if I don't get first place, my whole life is over."Jordan grabbed her hand. He was trembling, and tears filled his eyes. "Aelia, you know how strict my father is with me. I have to come in first, or he'll punish me. I've already been punished so many times because of Sebastian. I can't take it anymore..."Just help me one more time. For the sake of everything we've been through since we were kids. Please. I'm begging y

The force of Aelia's shout made Jordan's scalp prickle. He had never seen Aelia this furious."Did someone tell you something?"The moment Jordan remembered how Aelia had looked at Sebastian during the press conference, the resentment in his eyes deepened."It's Sebastian, isn't it? It has to be that bastard. He's hurt me so many times. Have you forgotten all of that? Why would you still take his word over mine?""You still have the nerve to blame someone else after all of this?"Aelia threw the security footage down in front of him.Jordan's gaze landed on the screen, and his pupils contracted sharply. The resentment on his face vanished, replaced by paper-white shock."That's not how it happened..." His voice shook beyond his control. "Aelia, this is fake. Sebastian staged this to frame me... Look again. Really look. Believe me this one time. Just this once, please..."Not a flicker of emotion crossed Aelia's face."Jordan." She looked at him as though he were a complete str

A dull, heavy thud rang out. The man clutched his bleeding wound and screamed."You think someone like you gets to lay a hand on him?" Aelia's voice was cold, edged with menace.The remaining three drunks froze for a moment. Then their embarrassment curdled into rage, and they lunged at her together, cursing.Aelia had trained in martial arts years ago. Her movements remained sharp and precise, and within seconds, she had subdued two of them and sent them crashing to the ground.But the next instant, someone attacked from behind and swung a glass bottle straight at the back of her head."Aelia!"Sebastian barely got the warning out.A sharp, splintering crack tore through the air. Shards of glass bit into her forehead, and warm, dark blood streamed down her brow and along the clean line of her jaw.The sight was jarring, yet Aelia did not step back. Instinctively, she pulled Sebastian closer behind her. With what strength she had left, she spun around and drove a fist into her

Sebastian stared at her in silence for a long time, long enough for Aelia to think his resolve might soften and he might actually say yes.But when he finally spoke, his voice was flat and even. "There's no need. I don't need any of that."Aelia's eyes slowly reddened. "Bastian, are you really going to keep saying one thing when you mean another?"Her gaze fell to the necklace around his neck. "If you truly don't need it anymore, then why are you still wearing that necklace? Do you keep it to remind yourself, over and over, that you can't quite let go of me? To remind yourself that you still have feelings for me? Must you keep contradicting yourself like this?"A cool evening breeze swept past and brushed lightly over them as they stood locked in their standoff.Sebastian furrowed his brow and opened his mouth to answer.But the next instant, a piercing scream cut through the air. "Sebastian! What gives you the right to have such a good life? What gives you the right to steal Ael