The students began to chant, rhythmically clapping their hands. They were enjoying this. My humiliation was their entertainment.
I stood there, rooted to the spot, my face burning hot. I felt small. I felt powerless. And most of all, I felt trapped.
"We're giving you a gift, Aurora," Allysia said, stepping closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that silenced the crowd. "You should be grateful. How can you just turn and walk away? That's not polite."
She looked at me, her eyes narrowing. "Let's play a little game. Here's the deal."
She leaned in, enjoying every second of my discomfort. "All you have to do is take this sign, go to the school gate, and show it to the first man you see coming in. Once you do that, the gift will be completed."
"I won't do it," I said, my voice trembling but firm. "I'm going home."
I tried to wrench my arm free from Sereia, but she held on tight. Allysia's face hardened, the playfulness vanishing instantly.
"If you dare refuse us," she said softly, "you know who my father is.
Expelling you would be as easy as saying a word. One phone call, Aurora, and you're out. Do you really want to throw your future away over a little sign?"
My stomach dropped. The threat hung in the air like a guillotine blade. Expulsion. The word alone was enough to freeze the blood in my veins. My aunt and uncle will make my life come to an end if they hear about this. If I were expelled... I couldn't go home. I couldn't face them.
I closed my eyes for a second, fighting back the tears of frustration that threatened to spill over. I had no choice. I was trapped, cornered by their cruelty and my own desperation.
"Fine," I whispered, the word tasting like ash in my mouth.
"I'll do it."
Allysia's smile returned, brighter and more vicious than before.
"Smart choice."
She shoved the heavy board into my hands. It was heavier than it looked, the wood rough and splintered against my palms. I gripped it tightly.
"Good luck, scared cat," Dominic sneered, stepping aside to clear a path toward the exit.
"Here he comes!" one of the students near the garden gate announced, their voice hushed with sudden excitement.
I looked up, squinting against the sunlight. A sleek, black motorcade was pulling up to the main entrance of the school administration building, which was visible from our vantage point in the garden. It wasn't a regular car. It was a convoy of armored SUVs, gleaming in the sun, flanking a central vehicle that screamed opulence and power.
I watched as the doors opened, and men in dark suits poured out, scanning the perimeter with the precision of a hawk. Then, the rear door of the central car opened, and a man stepped out.
Dominic, who had been looking bored, suddenly stiffened. "Is that..." He squinted, his brow furrowing in confusion. "That's Mr. Alexander. The founder of Vanguard Group."
I looked at the man in the distance. He was tall, imposing even from this far away. He wore a suit that fit him like a glove, exuding an aura of authority that made the Principal, who was rushing out to shake his hand, look like a nervous schoolboy.
"They told us there would be a board meeting today," Sereia murmured, sounding awed. "I never thought he would be among them. He's a legend."
Allysia's head snapped toward the scene, her eyes calculating. A wicked glint sparked in them as she watched the VIP walk toward the building.
"Well, who cares?" she said, though her voice was tinged with a sudden, manic energy. "I think I'll use this opportunity to my advantage."
She grabbed my shoulders, spinning me around so I was facing the direction of the main gate. She forced the board up against my chest, pressing it hard into me.
"Hold this," she ordered. "And don't you dare move until I say so."
"What are you doing?" I asked, panic rising in my chest again. "You can't just walk up to..."
"Shut up," she hissed. Then, she turned to the group of students. "Everyone, listen closely. We are about to give Aurora the birthday surprise of a lifetime. And we're all going to watch."
Before I could process what she was planning, I felt a sharp, violent shove between my shoulder blades.
"Go!"
I stumbled forward, losing my balance completely. My feet tangled over each other, and I pitched forward, heading straight for the pavement.
"No, no, no!"
I flailed my arms, desperate to catch my balance, but gravity had already claimed me. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the impact. I was going to fall hard. I was going to scrape my face, probably break a tooth, and lie there in agony while Allysia and her friends laughed.
I waited for the pain. I waited for the cold, hard concrete to smash against my skin.
"But it never came."
Instead, I felt a sudden, jarring halt. A strong, firm grip clamped around my waist, arresting my fall mid-air. I was suspended for a heartbeat, my hair hanging down, my heart pounding like a drum, before I was gently pulled upright and steadied.
I slowly opened one eye, then the other.
I wasn't on the ground. I was standing, though shakily, held in place by a hand that felt like a steel band wrapped around my waist. I looked up, my breath catching in my throat.
I was staring at a chest covered in an expensive black suit. I looked higher, past the perfectly knotted tie, past the sharp jawline that could cut glass, and finally into a pair of eyes that were dark, intense, and utterly unreadable.
Up close, he was even more intimidating than he had looked from a distance. He was strikingly rugged and handsome with a trace of stubble and curly hair that framed his face perfectly. His skin was flawless, glowing with health, and he carried himself with a confidence that seemed to radiate heat. He smelled incredibly nice.
I felt my knees go weak, and this time it had nothing to do with the fall. This was Alexander Mark, the man whose name was whispered in business journals and news reports. The man who built empires with a single signature.
"Is this really him?" I asked myself, my mind racing. "He looks... he looks even better than the photos."
I realized I was still gripping his forearm for support, my fingers digging into the expensive fabric of his suit jacket. I quickly let go as if I had been burned, taking a stumbling step back.
"Uhmm... I am sorry," I stammered, my voice coming out as a squeak. I felt my face heat up, a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck. "I didn't mean to... I tripped."
I reached up, my hands trembling as I tried to smooth down my messy hair. I must have looked like a complete disaster disheveled, wide-eyed, and pathetic.
I stole a glance at him, terrified of what I would see. Would he be annoyed? Would he look at me with the same disdain as Allysia?
"I found myself wondering."
