Aether froze in place.
[Zachary Conner’s favorability -L Current favorability – BL]
It was a fleeting kiss, and Vivian quickly pulled away.
“Aether, I just realized I think I’m in love with you. But it’s different from how I felt about Zachary.
liked him for his status, his family background, his striking face. He stood above everyone else, untouchable, admirable. Who wouldn’t like him?
“But you showed me what love really is. What kind of person is truly worth loving?
“And yet it’s too late. I have to leave now.
“I start over. When my family rises again, I’ll take you as my consort and take care of you.
Aetherstood there, utterly dumbfounded. She had just been kissed by a woman who smelled sweet and was breathtakingly beautiful.
But she wasn’t a guy! How could Vivian just kiss her like that? This was insane!
Before she could recover, Vivian leaned in again, this time whispering against her ear “Aether, there’s a sate in the master bedroom of my house. You’ll find secret about the Caner family inside.
“Take the patemity test inside. It Zachary ever tums against you, give it to L
“But he still treats you well, then use it to win his favor to stay by his side and survive.”
With that, Vivian released Aether, pulled out a key from her bag, and pressed it into the latter’s hand.
The house is yours now. Do whatever you want with it. You’ll get a good sum
“Zachary may have taken over the Dunn family business, but we still have our foundation. We’ll rise again.”
Aether chatched the key tightly, nodding obediently.
Having just been kissed, she had enough to worry about already. She couldn’t afford to reveal her true identity
If anyone found out that she was actually Rowena Blair or that she had been disguising hers as a boy to deceive Zachary, she’d be done for
So, she had to tread carefully.
“Let’s keep in touch on WhatsApp Vivian flashed a catetree smile, waving as she turned to leave. “Goodbye, Aether.”
Arther wwwed back, watching her figure disappear into the distance
Wesley watched the scene unfold not far away, growing more and more perplexed
“Did that pretty boy Arther put some kind of spell on people? Why the hell did Vivian just kiss him?
“The same Vivian who’s spoiled, arogant, and treats lower ranked students like trash? And now the’s kissing someone from Class F?
“I mean, Zachary’s a bastard, sure, but is she really that desperate? What the hell is going on?
Zachary was left speechless.
“Interesting.” Russell said molly
Heading that from someone so quiet lett Wesley even more confused “wait, you think that little pretty boy is interesting too? Are you in?
Russell said calmly, “I just thought of a game. Let’s imite him to play.”
hary hot him a sharp glare. “Don’t touch him.”
Bussell didn’t respond and simply walked away.
Meanwhile, Wesley muted, “Looks like it’s just me and Russell beft as the only use people around here.
“You and Neil are completely out of your minds.
“No, at least Hell doesn’t actually care whether that pretty boy lives or dies. He simply finds him interesting. “But you won’t even let us lay a finger on him. You’re completely gone. There’s no rving you.”
Chapter 203h Was kissed by a DI
Zachary didn’t bother responding. He just turned and walked off.
Wesley was dumbfounded
Now, everyone was either busy, brooding, or acting cold. Even Zachary was pulling the whole mysterious and aloof act on him.
Aether clenched the key in her hand and made her way to Vivian’s house.
Following the instructions she’d been given, she entered the safe’s combination and retrieved the paternity test inside.
she held the document for a long moment but didn’t open it. Instead, she carefully placed it into her backpack and headed back to school.
She would find the right moment to hand it over to Zachary. After all, this was a Cofner family secret, and she had no business looking at it.
Aether found Zachary sitting at his desk back at the donn, engrossed in a computer game.
She approached him, standing properly at his side before speaking in a polite tone.
“Zachary, thank you. Thank you for letting Vivian go.”
But he didn’t acknowledge her or spare her a glance. It was as if she didn’t exist.
Aether then brewed a cup of tea and placed it gently on his desk.
“This tea helps cool you down, detox your body, and keeps you hydrated,” she said softly. “It’s perfect for summer.”
However, Zachary flicked his wrist, and the cup tumbled to the ground, shattering on impact.
Tea splashed onto Aether’s clothes, soaking her front.
“Zachary?” She looked at him in confusion.
Zachary finally spoke, his tone lazy and indifferent. “I thought you were just being a saint, letting your bleeding heart get the best of you
“But it turns out that you had other motives. Fell for a woman) discarded, didn’t you?
“One kiss from her was all it took to reel you in.
“No wonder you were so desperate to plead for her.‘
Chapter 21 No One Cares About the Dead
“It’s not like that,” Aether clarified. “I’m gay. How could possibly like women?”
Zachary’s expression softened slightly. “You don’t like her, yet you still kissed her? What, did your lips get possessed by a dumbass ghost?”
Arther was dumbfounded.
“It wasn’t me who initiated the kiss!” She looked utterly Inocent. “Vivian just went for it, and I didn’t even have time to dodge.
“I already told you I’m gay. I don’t have an interest in wOITED”
[Zachary Conner’s favorability + L. Curent favorability; -80.1
Upon seeing the improvement, Arther let out a small bath of relief.
She then grabbed a trash bin, crouched down, and carefully picked up the shards of the broken up
However, the edges were sharp; before she love it, a shand had cut into her linger
Bright red quickly bloomed against the glass. Zachary took note of the scene, his chest tightening in discomfort. “Seriously? You couldn’t think of a better way than using your bare hands
He pulled Aether up and led her to his bed. He then took out a first–aid kit from underneath it and started tending to the wound.
After deaning the cut, be carefully applied a bandage
That was when he noticed her ankle, tinged red, with faint tea stains still visible
His hands, still warm from before, could recall the heat from when he had knocked over that cup. He reckoned that it must have been scalding.
His expression darkened “You actually dared to serve me tea that hot? Were you hoping to bum me alive?”
“Tea is supposed to be hot” H
“It’s the middle of summer. No one drinks tea anymore.
“How about i make you some watermelon juice next time?
“I’d rather not risk being poisoned by you.”
Aether scratched her head sheepishly. “Come on, Zachary. You’re joking, right?”
‘Do Hook like someone who jokes?”
Zachary’s deadpan expression left her at a loss for woods.
Without another glance, Zachary returned to his gaming setup, put on his headset, and mumed playing.
This time, Arther didn’t interrupt him and quietly retumed to her own space, minding her own business,
That afternoon, Aether walked back to the dorm with Gloria after class.
Glota asked directly, “After you drank my glass of wine that night, you said something was off and went to the hospital. Did they find anything?”
Aether answered honestly, “The wine was spiked. If you had drunkit, it would have triggered certain urges.”
“What?“Gloria’s face drained of color. “So, if not for you, I might have been completely vulnerable.”
[Gloria Anderson’s favorabilky +5. Current favorability: 35-1
“Don’t be scared,” Aether reassured her. “No one will hurt you as long as I’m here.
“I’ll do everything I can to project you.”
[Gloria Anderson’s favorability +5. Current favorability: 40,||
“Why?” she asked.
Aether gave a sleepish smile. “Aren’t we friends? you’ve looked out for me before, so of course I’ll do the same for you
“Friends should lift each other up, not just in ments of happiness but in times of struggle too.”
“Are you afraid Zachary will blame you?
Arther lowered her head “if you had really drink that wine, it would’ve been awful for you. I don’t ever want to see you go through something like that.
“so if the price is Zachary getting mad at me, then so be it That’s nothing.”
Her words deeply moved Gloria. She threw her arms around Aether, hugging her tightly. “Everyone just wants to possess me, but you’re the only one who actually cles about how Heel.”
[loria Anderson’s favorability +5. Current favorabilty: 45-1
hether didn’t know how to cespond for a moment. Shouldn’t this line have been meant for Riley?
