Chapter Sixty-Eight: Love and Sacrifice

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Love and Sacrifice

Aaron King bit down hard on his lower lip, struggling to maintain the last shred of his dignity. The moment he saw her step out of Julian Reed's car, it felt like his blood had frozen in his veins. Betrayal, deceit, and humiliation all surged through him at once, nearly driving him to the brink of wanting to strangle her with his own hands. "Don't ever speak to me again," he hissed through clenched teeth, his voice cold and filled with venom. His entire being radiated a chilling, dangerous energy. Without another word, he turned and began to walk away, not wanting to look at her for even a second longer.

Lydia Moore quickly rushed forward and grabbed his arm. She couldn't let him misunderstand her; she had to explain what had happened tonight. Desperation seeped into her voice as she clung to him, "I'm sorry, please listen to me. I can explain…" She knew he genuinely cared about her, that he wanted what was best for her. She couldn't let their hard-earned friendship be destroyed by this misunderstanding. She couldn't bear the thought of not speaking to him anymore.

"What is there to explain? You've been with him all night, haven't you?" Aaron King roared, his fury erupting as he saw her fail to deny it. It made him feel like the biggest fool in the world. He had always prided himself on being in control, able to manipulate any girl, watching them cry for him without a twinge of emotion. But now, he realized he had been the one played for a fool. The memory of how he had fought to keep the Delar executives from leaving, and how he had frantically searched for her after learning she wasn't in the dorm, made his teeth clench in rage.

If he hadn't witnessed their affectionate moment earlier, he might still be letting her play him like an idiot. The sight of her wearing another man's jacket only added to the sting. He would never forgive her; he would make sure she paid for this.

Grabbing Lydia Moore's chin with a rough hand, Aaron King smiled wickedly, "Do you think it's fun to toy with me? Well, don't regret it. I'll make sure you pay for this." His voice was a low, menacing growl, filled with the intensity of his hatred, so much so that it made Lydia feel as if she were suffocating.

He flung her aside with a violent motion and walked away, his retreating figure cold and arrogant, like a vengeful spirit from hell, bringing nothing but cruelty and despair. Lydia's weakened body slowly collapsed to the ground, her eyes welling up with tears, yet she found herself unable to say anything more.

That night, a deep sadness filled the air, the pain in their hearts spreading and growing. The streetlights went out, plunging everything into darkness, a deathly silence following in their wake. Only the sound of fading footsteps and labored breathing remained.

Winter seemed to have arrived overnight, quietly and without warning. The Sakura Academy campus was filled with dead grass and swirling leaves, painting a picture of desolation. Yet, the students' fervor had reached an unprecedented peak during this cold early winter, spreading like wildfire, bursting forth with energy.

Ever since Aaron King declared that he would completely isolate Lydia Moore, the entire campus had erupted. The rebellious spirit that lay dormant within the students was suddenly unleashed, and they were all eager to join in. The girls, in particular, couldn't resist the opportunity to vent their jealousy.

Although Aaron King's sudden change in attitude was puzzling, at Sakura Academy, anyone Aaron King disliked became the enemy of the entire student body. It wasn't long before the consensus was reached—Lydia Moore had to be driven out of Sakura, and the movement to do so spread like a powerful storm throughout the school.

On her way to class in the morning, Lydia Moore couldn't help but notice the odd atmosphere. It seemed like everyone she passed was looking at her with strange, almost hostile, eyes, sending a chill down her spine. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something felt off. Maybe she was just imagining things. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, Lydia continued walking. But as soon as she reached the second floor of the classroom building, she saw that her desk had been dragged out to the doorway, and her chair was kicked over.

In the middle of the hallway, Ava Blue was animatedly chatting with some girls from another class, their laughter growing louder as Lydia approached. They shot her smug, mocking glances, clearly warning her to stay away. The other students' gazes all turned toward Lydia Moore, and the classroom fell into an eerie silence, as if something sinister was brewing.

Some of them looked at her with mischievous grins, eager to see what would happen next. Those who had a better impression of Lydia Moore could only offer her sympathetic looks, but none dared speak up against Aaron King's intimidating influence.

Under the weight of so many different stares, Lydia calmly picked up her desk and returned it to its place, then took out her textbook and began reading as if nothing had happened, not even a crease forming on her brow.

During the lesson, various objects kept hitting Lydia Moore—sometimes paper balls, sometimes chalk, sometimes even trash or disgusting worms. Yet, Lydia only brushed them off with a calm demeanor and continued taking notes. Her lack of reaction only fueled the students' cruelty, and they grew bolder in their harassment. During breaks, they would hover around her, knocking over her beloved plants, scattering dirt everywhere, or covering her chair in glue when she went to the restroom, forcing her to stand during class.

They devised all sorts of ways to torment her, reveling in their cruelty. Lydia endured this relentless bullying throughout the morning. But it didn't stop there.

By the time Lydia, exhausted and aching, carried her lunch box to the dormitory stairwell, she was met with a bucket of icy, bone-chilling water. Within seconds, she was drenched, looking as though she had just been pulled from a lake, her entire body soaked and bedraggled. Without even needing to look up, Lydia knew exactly what had happened. As water dripped from her hair and the edges of her lunch box, she was at a loss for how to react.

Did he really hate her this much? Hate her so much that he would go to any lengths to drive her out of Sakura? The cold seeped into Lydia's bones, spreading a dull, aching pain throughout her body, making it hard for her to even breathe.

On the stairs above, two girls dressed provocatively laughed without restraint, holding the now-empty bucket. One of them, a long-legged girl with dyed red hair, sneered down at Lydia with disdain, taunting her, "You thought you were so hot just because you got to shoot a commercial with Aaron King? Not so tough now, are you? That bucket of water was a wake-up call from us, on behalf of Aaron King. Before he starts hating you even more, you'd better get out of this school while you still can."