Chapter 144 Sexy Ezekiel

Mr. Gideon led the way to the gate of the island while the two sisters followed closely behind. They could feel curious eyes peering at them, making Rose smile. She loved attention. However, it was the opposite for Nadine, whose face remained blank as she stared ahead, ignoring the onlookers.

"Hmm, Dad, can we go a little bit faster? I don't like this," Nadine muttered, stopping briefly in her tracks.

Rose turned to her and smirked. "Oh, someone's feeling shy? Don't be. They're just people—they won't bite," she replied mockingly.

Nadine glared hard at Rose, but before she could respond, a stunning blonde with ocean-blue eyes appeared in front of them. She was accompanied by two other gorgeous ladies, whom Rose guessed were her friends—or perhaps friends with benefits.

"Oh, you must be Mr. Anderson," the blonde said, her voice sweet yet commanding. "I'm Ava Gonzalez, and I'll be giving your girls a tour around our prestigious school."

Ava smiled warmly, though her expression held an edge. The two girls with her didn't bother hiding their curiosity, their eyes constantly on Nadine, who ignored them as if they didn't exist.

Gideon nodded politely. "Of course. I'll proceed to the principal's office while you ladies take your time."

Rose stepped forward and hugged her dad tightly. The truth was, she was going to miss him terribly—more than the creature who called herself their mother.

"Take care, pumpkin," Gideon said softly, handing them two sealed envelopes. "And make sure you don't get into trouble. These are your dormitory cards. I picked them up yesterday during registration. Take this and find your forever roommate."

After one last hug, Gideon walked toward the principal's office, leaving the girls in Ava's care.

Ava wasted no time. She approached Rose, her gaze scrutinizing the two sisters as though evaluating whether they were worthy of her company.

"Oh my, you're both perfect," Ava exclaimed, circling them. "As you can see, I'm the social president and the leader of the cheerleading squad. If you're interested, I can make it happen. Most importantly, I'm dating the king of the school, Simon Denovan. He's so charming and, might I add, the most followed guy on Instagram right now."

Rose listened with mild interest, arms crossed over her chest. "Wow," she said sarcastically. "So the school icon herself is here, offering us a place in her group? What an honor. Unfortunately, I don't use people's trash. So, go back to Simon and leave me to find my own prince charming."

Ava's face darkened instantly, her smile fading as her two friends gasped audibly. No one had ever spoken to Ava Gonzalez like that.

"So, take your privileged ass somewhere else while I find my room and register my courses. Thank you." Rose tossed her hair, picked up her duffel bag, and strutted away with her head held high, like a proud peacock.

Vesper and Ophelia, Ava's friends, stared after her in disbelief. Before they could comment, Nadine had also disappeared without a trace.

"Haaaa! Those disrespectful bitches!" Ava shrieked, stomping her foot. "Who do they think they are?"

Vesper whispered, "Hmm, Ava, I think you might have a competitor. Those two girls… they're something else."

Ava began giggling, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Oh, Vesper, don't be stupid. I own this school. I'm the queen bee. They wouldn't dare challenge me. But… why don't we organize the annual Founders' Day celebration and see what they've got?"

Ophelia clapped her hands in delight. "That's a wonderful idea! You'll crush them to death."

"Exactly," Ava said, her confidence returning. "I'm not the queen of Paradise for nothing."

---

Meanwhile, Nadine had registered her courses and received her class schedule. She wandered the hallways, trying to find her way to her dormitory.

"Excuse me," she called out to two students passing by. "Where is the road to Diamond Dorm? I think I might be lost."

When one of the students turned to face her, Nadine's breath hitched. The guy's amber eyes bore deeply into hers, his high cheekbones and sexy red lips making her heart race. She mentally scolded herself—this was not the time to admire someone.

"Do you mind helping me?" Nadine asked again, her voice softer this time.

The guy smiled and sized her up, his gaze lingering before he grinned. "Let me guess—you're new? Welcome to Paradise. My name's Jeremy, but everyone calls me Jimmy. This here is Luna, and luckily for you, she lives in Diamond Dorm."

"Oh my gosh!" Luna exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I'm so happy to have such a beautiful girl as my roommate! I think I might die of happiness! Jimmy and I are best friends, so why don't we all be friends?"

Nadine smiled, her nerves settling. They seemed sweet—especially Jimmy. Goodness, how could someone be so attractive? His curly hair only added to his charm, and Nadine found herself staring a bit too long.

"So, how's Paradise?" Nadine asked, trying to shift her focus.

Luna hesitated at the question, then answered truthfully. "Paradise is… complicated. It's a place where rich kids flaunt their wealth, and poor kids are treated like trash. Especially the scholarship students."

Nadine frowned in irritation. "Why? That's nonsense."

Luna smiled sadly. "The school is a sub-branch of Ivory High. The elites run everything here. Only the wealthy benefit from the system."

As Luna spoke, her gaze flickered to Jimmy, who stared at the ground, looking dejected.

"Jimmy, are you okay?" Nadine asked, her voice tinged with concern. "Is it because you're a scholarship student?"

Jimmy's eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah… and because of that, I'm treated like an outcast. See that guy over there?" He nodded toward a tall, striking figure surrounded by adoring students. "That's Ezekiel. Everyone worships him. Then there's Harlan Lockwood and Simon Donovan, Ava Gonzalez's boyfriend. They're the top three here."

Nadine's eyes followed Jimmy's gaze and landed on a boy with stunning gray eyes. He was surrounded by both boys and girls, his aura radiating power and dominance. Nadine's heart sank. It couldn't be. That was Zeke. What was he doing here?

Panic overtook her. Before Luna and Jimmy could offer to help with her bags, Nadine bolted to the nearest restroom, leaving them confused.

Ezekiel, noticing her sudden departure, smirked darkly. "I'll be back," he said to his friends, Kai and Harlan. "Don't wait for me."

Walking confidently, Ezekiel slipped into the restroom.

---

Nadine splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm herself. She removed her blonde wig, letting her long silver hair fall over her shoulders. She didn't notice when the door opened.

"Interesting," came a deep, familiar voice.

Nadine froze. Slowly, she turned to see Ezekiel leaning against the doorframe, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You…" she stammered.

Ezekiel's sharp eyes scanned her from head to toe. Without warning, a foam pad slipped from her chest, flattening her figure. His smirk widened.

"I was right," he drawled, his voice low and teasing. "You're a guy. And a beautiful one, at that. But here you are, deceiving everyone. What a delicious surprise."

Nadine gulped as Ezekiel stepped closer, trapping him against the wall. His intoxicating scent enveloped him, making his knees weak. This couldn't be happening. He wasn't supposed to feel this way—especially not about another guy.

"Zeke…" Nadine whispered, his voice trembling.

Ezekiel leaned in, his lips brushing against Nadine's ear. "Don't worry," he murmured. "Your secret's safe with me. For now."