Chapter 56
Andrea hesitated as she approached the abandoned greenhouse, its once-pristine glass panes now covered in grime and ivy. The note in her hand crinkled as she tightened her grip.
“Meet me at the greenhouse at 9 PM. I have information about what’s been happening to you.”
She knew it was risky, but desperation outweighed caution. If someone truly had answers about Claire, the rumors, or even Liam, she couldn’t ignore it.
Pushing open the creaking door, Andrea stepped inside. The air was thick and damp, the faint scent of rotting leaves lingering. Shadows stretched across the floor, distorted by the faint moonlight filtering through the broken glass.
“Hello?” she called out, her voice trembling.
The only response was the distant rustle of leaves. She took a step further inside, scanning the space nervously.
“Looking for someone?” a cold, familiar voice cut through the silence.
Andrea spun around to see Claire emerge from the shadows, her lips curled into a triumphant smile.
“What’s going on?” Andrea demanded, her heart pounding.
Claire crossed her arms, her voice dripping with venom. “You really thought someone cared enough to help you? How naive.”
Before Andrea could respond, three figures stepped out from behind the tall overgrowth—Stephen Olister, a smug grin on his face, flanked by two other elite students.
Andrea’s stomach dropped. “What is this?”
Stephen chuckled, his eyes gleaming with malice. “A little lesson in knowing your place, Joker.”
The attack came fast. Stephen grabbed Andrea’s arms, twisting them behind her back as the others closed in, their laughter echoing in her ears.
“Let me go!” Andrea screamed, struggling fiercely.
“Shut her up,” one of the boys growled.
Claire leaned against a cracked table nearby, watching with satisfaction. “Make sure you get the angle right,” she said, nodding toward Stephen, who was fiddling with his phone.
Andrea thrashed against their grip, kicking and clawing as they began to tear at her clothes. The fabric of her blouse ripped, exposing her shoulder.
Tears streamed down her face as panic overtook her. “Stop! Please—”
Her cries were met with cruel laughter.
Meanwhile, Aiden sat in the library, his sharp eyes scanning the room. Andrea had been gone longer than usual, and unease gnawed at him.
He stood abruptly, his instincts telling him something was wrong. Without a word, he left the library and began searching the campus.
When he reached the greenhouse and saw the faint flicker of movement inside, his blood ran cold.
The door burst open with a deafening crash, and Aiden stormed in like a force of nature.
“What the fuck is going on here?” he roared, his voice echoing in the greenhouse.
The four attackers froze, startled by the sudden intrusion. Andrea, still struggling against their grip, turned her tear-streaked face toward Aiden.
“Aiden!” she sobbed.
Rage clouded his vision as he took in the scene—Andrea’s torn clothes, the phone in Stephen’s hand, the smug, self-assured looks on their faces.
He launched himself at Stephen first, his fist connecting with a sickening crack against the boy’s jaw. Stephen crumpled to the ground, his phone clattering away.
The other two students tried to intervene, but Aiden was relentless. His fists flew with terrifying ferocity, leaving bruises and bloodied faces in his wake.
“Stop!” Claire screamed from the corner, her bravado replaced by panic.
Aiden turned to her, his eyes blazing. “You’re next if you don’t shut up.”
Claire shrank back, her face pale.
Gabriel arrived moments later, drawn by the commotion. He froze in the doorway, horrified by the scene before him.
“Aiden, that’s enough!” Gabriel shouted, grabbing his brother’s arm as he raised his fist to strike Stephen again.
Aiden shook him off. “They deserve worse!”
Gabriel looked past him to Andrea, who was huddled on the floor, trembling and half-dressed. His expression softened as he hurried to her side, taking off his jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders.
“Andrea, it’s okay,” he said gently. “You’re safe now.”
Andrea clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably. Gabriel lifted her into his arms, his heart breaking at how small and fragile she felt.
He shot Aiden a look. “We’ll deal with this later.”
Aiden didn’t respond, his chest heaving with barely-contained fury as Gabriel carried Andrea out of the greenhouse.
Back in Gabriel’s room, he set Andrea down on the edge of his bed, speaking softly as he retrieved a clean shirt and sweatpants.
“Here, put these on,” he said, turning away to give her privacy.
Andrea’s hands shook as she pulled the oversized clothes over her battered body. When she was dressed, Gabriel sat beside her, offering her a glass of water.
“Take small sips,” he instructed, his voice calm but firm.
Andrea nodded, her fingers trembling as she brought the glass to her lips.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Gabriel frowned. “You have nothing to apologize for. What happened tonight was not your fault.”
Fresh tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t know how to keep going.”
Gabriel hesitated before reaching out to take her hand. “You’re stronger than you think, Andrea. And you don’t have to do this alone.”
His words, though comforting, did little to ease the ache in her chest.
The next morning, the academy was in chaos.
News spread quickly: Stephen Olister and another elite student had been found dead in different locations on campus. Whispers of foul play and revenge swirled, and the Sinclair name was on everyone’s lips.
Nathaniel stormed into the Sinclair suite, his face a mask of fury.
“What the fuck did you do?” he demanded, shoving Aiden against the wall.
Aiden smirked, blood still crusted on his knuckles. “What I had to.”
Nathaniel’s fist connected with Aiden’s nose, the sickening crunch sending shockwaves through the room.
“You’ve endangered all of us!” Nathaniel shouted, his voice filled with rage.
