[You didn't really think you were special, did you? Raphael and I have known each other since childhood. Our parents already decided our future. You were nothing more than a doll, something Raphael used to bring down your family for his own gain.]
A hollow laugh escaped me, void of humor and emotion.
I had been a fool.
To think Colette was just another student. To think she was just a friend in Raphael’s circle.
It turned out, she was part of everything, even Raphael’s plan.
My chest ached, and for a fleeting moment, I felt the sting of tears burning behind my eyes. But I refused to let them fall.
Raphael had already stolen enough from me—my trust, my first love, my dignity. But they would not take my pride.
With newfound resolve, I zipped up my bag, squared my shoulders, and stepped out of the room.
As I walked past the room, the door suddenly swung open.
The sharp click of stiletto heels echoed against the marble floor, sending a chill down my spine.
And then I saw her.
Colette.
My intuition had been right all along. She had been among them—laughing, indulging in the cruel spectacle of my downfall.