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Chapter_98
Percival had been silently enjoying the show, grinning like a Cheshire cat from the side. He knew Vivienne was deliberately teasing Arabella, but he couldn’t help but savor the moment. Why? It felt like Vivienne was leaning on him as her support, and that gave him a sense of pride. It made him want to keep going.
Arabella couldn’t hold back any longer. “You!” she snapped, eyes burning with anger. “You’re shameless!”
Vivienne, her smirk never faltering, strutted up to Arabella. She stood toe-to-toe with her, her expression suddenly turning icy. “You want to know why I haven’t done anything to you?” she asked, voice dripping with condescension.
Arabella glared at her, stubbornly refusing to respond.
Vivienne leaned in slightly, her eyes cold as she delivered her warning. “I told you before—keep your hands off Dorian and Cordelia. If you dare cross that line, you’ll regret it, and you’ll be the one apologizing to me. Do you really think Beatrice would ever abandon the Hawthorn family for you?” She let out a small, mocking chuckle. “Think again.”
Arabella trembled, her face blanching as Vivienne’s words sank in. Deep down, she knew Beatrice would never choose her over the family. But instead of responding, she was left speechless, trapped in her own uncertainty.
Vivienne shot Arabella a dismissive glance, then turned her attention to the students who had been taunting her. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
“Lysander, there are students openly insulting a teacher. We’re at the school entrance. Could you please take care of this?” she asked, her tone casual but firm.
The students’ faces paled in unison. They had never expected Vivienne to involve the principal.
“How shameless!” one of them muttered. “Why bring in the principal for something so trivial?”
Vivienne merely chuckled, her eyes gleaming with mischief. She patted the complaining student on the shoulder. “Kid, you’re still a child. I’m a teacher. You might not know me, but Class Eighteen does. I’m a big fan of tattling.”
Class Eighteen’s students nodded in agreement, clearly amused by the exchange. The other students fell into an uneasy silence.
Moments later, Lysander arrived at the scene with the Dean of Students, his expression as cold as ever. He surveyed the group of students, his voice sharp and commanding. “Mr. Samuel, take down their names. Announce it to the entire school, and put it on record. Any student found insulting a teacher again will be dealt with strictly.”
Without another word, Lysander turned and left, his face a mask of authority.
The students were left in stunned silence, struggling to process what had just happened.
Arabella, now realizing she had no one to back her up, turned desperately to Coral for support. Typically, Coral would have been the first to step in and defend her, but today, she was strangely quiet. Coral merely glanced at Arabella, her mind clearly elsewhere.
Coral had been wrestling with her thoughts all night. After a stern scolding from her parents, she couldn’t stop thinking about what her mother had said. The words echoed in her mind: You want to know if Arabella is truly your friend or if she is just using you?
This morning, her mother had advised her to test Arabella. “Tell her your family is in trouble and see if she’s willing to help. If she is, maybe she truly values you. If not… well, it says a lot about the friendship.”
Coral had hesitated but eventually shared her concerns with Arabella at lunch. Arabella had brushed her off without a second thought, and Coral’s heart sank. It became painfully clear that Arabella had been using her all along.
Now, as Arabella turned to Coral for help, Coral stood frozen, unsure of what to do.
The tension in the air grew thick until a deep voice broke the silence. “Coral, what are you doing here?” The voice belonged to Brandon Lockwood, Coral’s father, followed by Mrs. Lockwood. Both looked displeased as they emerged from the crowd.
Coral’s heart skipped a beat. Panic set in as she instinctively took a step back, distancing herself from Arabella.
The Lockwoods, accompanied by Jaylan and Gabriel Lockwood, had arrived at the scene. Upon seeing Vivienne and Percival together, Brandon and Mrs. Lockwood immediately approached them, greeting them with forced politeness. “Ms. Vivienne, Mr. Ellington,” they said, their tone respectful but tense.
Vivienne raised an eyebrow at them but didn’t respond. Percival, standing silently by her side, observed the Lockwoods with a cold, almost disdainful gaze.
The Lockwoods, who had initially come to apologize to Vivienne, quickly grabbed Coral and pushed her forward. “Ms. Vivienne, our daughter’s actions were due to our failure as parents,” Brandon said, his voice stiff. “We are making her apologize to you and promise to never offend you again.”
A ripple of whispers spread through the students. They had expected this scene, but it was still shocking to see the Lockwoods take such a direct approach.
The Lockwoods had planned to take Coral to Tranquil Estates to apologize in private, but Vivienne wasn’t home. After hearing about the Hawthorn Group’s troubles, they rushed to the school, fearing Coral might back Arabella once more.
Brandon’s expression was grim. His daughter had refused to listen to him, ignoring both his gentle suggestions and stern warnings. He couldn’t understand why Coral still clung to Arabella, a girl he saw as nothing more than manipulative.
Vivienne remained quiet, her gaze unreadable as she studied the Lockwoods.
If they wanted to apologize, they needed to do it right. She didn’t need to give them any leeway to speak more than what was necessary.
Percival stood next to Vivienne, his presence a subtle but powerful sign of support. As he watched the Lockwoods, his usual softness vanished, replaced by a commanding authority that only someone with his position could project.
Brandon caught a quick glance at Percival, his eyes narrowing. He had dealt with influential people before, but Percival exuded a power that made him feel small in comparison.
Turning back to Coral, Brandon’s voice grew colder. “You will apologize to Ms. Vivienne now.”
Coral, feeling cornered, bit her lip, struggling to hide her reluctance. “Ms. Vivienne, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you of stealing my mom’s bracelet and tricking my brother into taking you to the police station. I shouldn’t have questioned your education or gotten my uncle involved to cause you trouble at school. I promise I won’t do it again.”
Her words were forced, and her pride was clearly wounded. But with her parents standing there, Coral knew she had no choice.
Gabriel Lockwood, standing beside her, looked even more embarrassed. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, his face flushed with shame. “Ms. Vivienne, I… I messed up last time. I had no idea what I was doing. I was completely clueless. I beg for your forgiveness. Please help me return to…”
Before he could finish, Mrs. Lockwood gave him a swift kick to the leg, signaling him to stop. Gabriel froze, wincing in pain as he realized his mistake.
Brandon and Mrs. Lockwood were no fools. They knew apologies weren’t just about words. If you messed up, you had to own up to it.
“We’re truly sorry for everything,” Brandon said, his voice carrying a weight of sincerity. “We understand that our actions have consequences, and we’re here to face them.”
Jaylan, not wanting to be left out, stepped forward with a look of guilt on his face. “Ms. Vivienne, I apologize for arresting you without proper investigation. I should’ve done things differently. I’m truly sorry.”
The Lockwoods stood before Vivienne, their apologies genuine, but the tension in the air remained palpable.
