After all, Riley was the one who truly cared about lorta’s feelings.
Undortunately, he hadn’t even shown up yet otherwise, she’d be shipping them sa hard tight now.
Atterwalling Gloria backto her dom, Aethered to head to her own.
But before the rould take more than a few steps, someone yanked the collar of hershirt from behind.
Aethered and, only to come face–to–face with Wraler, the walking embodiment of age.
odscaping
Fear jolted through her, and her first instinct was to this griponer collar was like a steel clamp. There was no
“Wesley. What can do for you?”
“Wesley?” He solfed. “You think you’re worthy of calling me that?”
“Then what should call you?”
“Cut the crap”
Wesley’s hand shot out, seizing her by the that, and lifted her clean off the ground.
Archer’s feet dangled off the ground as she struggled violently, “Let p Tran’t breathe..
Wesley’s eyes held a piercing Interwitysten up. If I ever see you getting too close to Gloria again, I’ll end you!
“I’m not Zachary, Jest because he decided to protect you doesn’t mean I’ll show you any mercy.
“It I want you dead, it’s as easy as coushing an ant. You’d do well to remember that.”
with that, he flung herside,
Aether crashed into the edge of a flowerbed, her arm slamming hard against the stone. Fain shot through her elbow, and blood smeared against her sleeve
pasped for air, coughing violently.
Wesley watched herstruggle, a smirk of satisfaction coreping onto his lips. “That was just for a hug. Consider this a warning
“Next time, if Dratch you kissing Gloria the way you did Vivian, I’ll cut your tongue out and feed it to the dogs. ”
“Remember this well, Aether. If I decide to kill you quietly and no one ever finds the culprit, what could you possibly do?
“loria might be sad for a few days, but before long, no one would care about the dead. You got it?”
Aether didn’t arower and just watched his retreating figure.
struggling to herfect, she looked down at her scraped–up ans.
she decided that it would be best for her to keep some distance from Gloda fornow. She needed to take things slow and build up favorability with the Fabled Four
Only when their favorability was maxed out could she even think about negotiating Gloria’s freedom as a friend.
As she took a few steps forward a sharp sting flared in her knee. She realized that it was scraped one from the fall, and walking would be achallenge.
She limped back to the dorm, pushed the door open, and found Zachary tangled up with a woman.
Ather’s face bumed with embarrassment. She burriedly slammed the door shut and tomed her backtoit.
Sachary’s mood instantly painted. He straightened up and buttoned his shirt.
Then, he said to the woman on his bed. “You can leave now
“If this isn’t a good place, we could always go to a hotel.”
“I’m not really into women who throw themselves at me. His gaze thcked to her “Ever heard of subtle seduction?”
Susan Hale’s expression faltered slightly, but she quickly switched to a coquettish tone as she said, “but weren’t all your eses bold and sexy? They all said that you liked women who took the initiative
“Besides, thesis just who I am. And now you want me to act all coy and inpornt.
“Don’t ever come back”
Susan’s eyes med red, but fear overtook any protest she had when she mat Zachary’s sharp gaze
When she stepped outside, the noticed the man waiting outside bace an uncanny resemblance to her.
Aether also stated at Susan, a strange sense of familiarity settling in
at heavier.
Susan looked like a female version of herself. She’d probably look just like her if Aethet grow out her hair, though susar’s makeup was a bit Sunshot her agate before turning and wadding away.
Aether, still limping, made her way into the dean, glancing at Zachary, “Zachary, if you’re ever buy, jest text me in advance. I’ll make myself scarce so I won’t be intheway.
Zachary ignored her words completely. His gaze landed instead on the awloward way she walked, then trailed down to her scraped–up lose.
Something flicked in his eyes. “Did you fall?
Arthur hemmed in agreement before brushing it out with a casual lie. “I slipped on a banana peel and wiped out
Zachary’s expression darkened. “Abama prel gave you finger–shaped bases on your neck?”
Aether quickly changed the subject. “ahl Just picked up a package downstairs Today’s your birthday, isn’t he?
rill make you a birthday cake later and a bowl of noodles, too.
“Ohyand I got you abunday in!”
Chapter 21 No Doe Cares About the Dead
She eagerly opened the package, pulling out a neatly wrapped box. “The shop did a pretty nice job with the packaging, it’s blue, your favorite color.
“You do like blue, right? I noticed most of yours
ar stuff is blue, so I figured I’d match it.
“Go on, open it See If you like it.‘
Zachary unwrapped it to reveal a neck massager inside.
Aether quickly explained, “I’ve noticed that you play games for hours, and your neck always seems stiff, so I got you this
You just wear it around your neck, and it massages automatically. That way, you won’t get so sore anymore
“It might not be the most expensive thing for you, but it still cost me a lot! This is from my flest paycheck, you know, I spent a whole fifth of my salary on you
“If I needed one, I could’ve bought it myself. I’m not exactly short on cash.”
“I knew you were going to say that.” Aether pouted. “Then I’ll just make you a cake. You can’t buy a cake made by me, right?”
“You think I can’t buy a cake?”
“I mean not one I made!”
He smirked, his tone teasing, “What, did you bake it with gold?”
Aether was left speechless.
She wondered if it would ever be possible for them to have a normal conversation.
