A few days had passed since that unsettling incident with the professor, yet the haunting memories continued to plague my nights, intertwining with the traumas of Alison's past. My school life had taken a peculiar turn, as I noticed people treating me with an odd mixture of kindness and pity.

Whispers of assumptions regarding what had befallen me spread like wildfire, their words reaching my ears despite my feigned indifference. Pity seemed to permeate every corner, a sentiment I despised with every fiber of my being. Another significant change emerged in my life, concerning Crown Prince Elliot. He began to spend more time in my company, seeking reassurance of my well-being while assuring me that he considered us friends who cared for one another.

Inquisitively, I gazed at him and questioned, "What about that girl? How will she perceive our closeness?"

Confusion etched across his face as he asked, "What girl?"

"The girl whom you have been seen with around the school grounds," I replied.

Elliot blinked, then emphatically stated, "There is no other girl. The only person I should be seen with is you, my fiancée. My image would suffer greatly if I were to associate myself with anyone else."

My steps faltered as I absorbed his words, realizing that I had accused him without sufficient evidence. "Do not deceive me, Elliot. There is nothing I detest more in this world than dishonesty," I asserted, though the statement itself was far from true. In truth, my life was built upon layers of deception, but that was a truth he need not discover.

In a defensive gesture, he raised his hands and exclaimed, "I speak the truth. There is no other girl. If you refer to the only girl I spend time with, rest assured, she is merely a friend. There is no cause for concern."

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Once again, I pondered how effortlessly Elliot spun his web of lies. "Takes one to know one," a begrudging voice whispered in the recesses of my mind. Dismissing the thought, I continued walking until a sudden pause gripped me. Something, or rather someone, had captured my attention. "Oh, speak of the devil, and she shall appear," Elliot's voice rang out. And there she stood before us.

Indeed, there she stood, with her enchanting green eyes, lustrous blond hair, and a mischievous smile playing upon her lips. My instincts screamed for me to run, to find solace in seclusion. I realized I was not prepared for this encounter.

Before I could make a move, she swiftly approached us. "Elliot," her voice called out, devoid of any honorifics befitting the Crown Prince of our mighty nation. In any other setting, her audacity might have led to immediate consequences, even beheading. But within the confines of our university, she felt at ease, disregarding the formalities. "Just friends, yeah right," I cynically mused.

I overheard Elliot responding, "We were just talking aboutyou."

"Oh, really? Pray, tell me why," the woman inquired. My heart froze in that moment. "Oh, it was nothing of consequence. I promise we weren't speaking ill of you," Elliot replied, attempting to diffuse the situation.

I interjected, "Don't be absurd, Elliot. Why would I waste my breath discussing a person I have never met?"

"Apologies, my beloved Scarlett. You are absolutely correct," Elliot uttered, using a term that caused me to cringe.

Just as I was about to voice my own thoughts, the intruder spoke again, her audacity reaching new heights. "What is the nature of your relationship?" she inquired. In that moment, I nearly snapped in defiance, "What business is it of yours?" but held my tongue for self-preservation. Elliot and I exchanged a glance, and to my utter dismay, Elliot spoke words that made me want to slap him, consequences be damned. For he informed the home-wrecker that we were engaged and soon to be married. The last part being untrue.

I mustered an awkward smile and greeted her, "Pleased to make your acquaintance, I am Scarlett Katherine Selva, daughter of Duke Selva. And who might you be?" I couldn't resist mentioning my noble status, a subtle act of defiance.

"Angelic Francis," she replied, a rosy blush rising in her cheeks. "But my friends call me Angel." She glanced downward. "I hail from a simple farming family, with no noble lineage to speak of."

Ah, yes, Angelic, the name resurfaced in my memory. Even her name seemed designed to evoke a sense of purity. Her moniker literally contained the word "Angel." But all I could perceive was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Still, I offered her a kind smile, concealing my true sentiments.

"Delightful to meet you, Miss Angelic," I uttered those words, though their sincerity was far from genuine.