Chapter 30

“So those were the earrings she was wearing yesterday?” Sophia muttered. “How is that even possible?”

Unlike Adrian, the girls actually paid attention to jewelry. They knew those earrings were new. Elena had never worn anything like them before.

But—

Several million?

Emma's mouth fell open.

“Wait… they're real diamonds?” She stared at the screen in disbelief. “No way. I mean, I knew they looked expensive, but I thought they'd be worth maybe a few thousand dollars at most.”

“That can't be right.” Sophia frowned. “Did Adrian give them to her?”

They'd seen Adrian's Porsche before. It was worth around two hundred thousand dollars, which was already considered a serious luxury car among college students.

But Adrian's own car wasn't even worth two hundred thousand.

How could he possibly buy his girlfriend jewelry worth several million dollars?

Unless—

Was that why Elena didn't seem to care about Adrian and Victoria anymore?

Had she actually found someone even more powerful?

The early autumn sun filtered through the thick plane trees lining the road, scattering patches of golden light across the quiet avenue.

Elena walked toward the academic building at an unhurried pace, a canvas bag slung over one shoulder.

Suddenly, someone came out of a nearby garden.

The moment the person spotted her, a voice called out.

“Elena!”

She turned around.

Charlotte was striding toward her with two friends, all three looking like they had come specifically to pick a fight.

Elena quietly pulled out her phone and started recording.

“Elena!”

Charlotte was still wearing a custom-made dress and high heels, with perfectly done makeup and an expensive designer handbag hanging from her arm.

“You're pretty happy about going viral again, aren't you?”

Charlotte stared at her.

Even without makeup, Elena's face was beautiful enough to make people stop and look twice.

That only made the resentment in Lena's eyes even more obvious.

“You actually have the nerve to come out here?”

Almost instinctively, Lena raised a hand and touched her temple.

There was still a faint bluish bruise beneath the heavy layer of foundation.

No one had ever hit her like that before.

Just thinking about it made her blood boil.

“Elena, I'm giving you a chance because of Adrian. Get down on your knees and apologize, and I'll let this go.”

She gave a cold laugh.

“Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't survive in this social circle—or at this university. I can even make sure you end up in prison for attempted murder!”

Elena let out a short, mocking laugh.

“You pushed me into a swimming pool. I almost drowned. If anyone's talking about attempted murder, it should be me.”

She tilted her chin.

“So why don't you get down on your knees and apologize first?”

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“In your dreams!”

Charlotte face immediately twisted with anger.

“Have you ever looked in a mirror? Do you even know what kind of background you come from? Other than that face, what do you actually have?”

Her voice rose.

“And you think you're good enough to demand an apology from me?”

Their argument was getting louder. Several students passing by had already slowed down to watch.

“Then get out of my face,” Elena said coldly.

“Maybe take a good look in the mirror while you're at it. You're ugly, you're stupid, and you wouldn't even dare leave the house without makeup. Every time I see that face covered in foundation, I feel sick.”

“Elena!”

Charlotte completely lost her temper.

“I think you've got a death wish! One phone call from me and your parents could lose their jobs. Your whole family would be begging just to get by!”

Elena calmly reached into her canvas bag and pulled out the bottle she'd brought with her.

“Want me to help you take that makeup off? I'm sure everyone would love to see what you actually look like.”

Charlotte immediately took a step back.

Her makeup was expensive, of course, and waterproof too.

But Elena was holding juice.

It didn't matter whether the makeup itself survived.

If that bottle hit her, her entire appearance would be ruined.

And there were already plenty of people watching.

“You—!”

Charlotte kept backing away.

The two girls beside her quickly stepped aside as well, clearly unwilling to get caught in the middle.

“Elena! Just wait!”

Charlotte 's voice rose into a shriek.

Elena didn't even bother responding.

She simply turned around and headed to class.

The original Elena had always been far too willing to put up with these rich kids.

Whenever they argued, she was usually the one who swallowed her anger and ended up suffering in silence.

And what had that gotten her?

They had still ended up destroying her.

Charlotte hadn't been directly involved in what happened to her in the end, but in a way, she'd still helped create the circumstances that led there.

Elena wasn't going to keep putting up with it.

Richard was already willing to buy her a Ferrari.

If she still had to shrink back and act timid in front of Lena now, that would be ridiculous.

Still—

Charlotte wasn't exactly the forgiving type.

After thinking it over, Elena took out her phone and sent Richard a message, letting him know she'd gotten into another confrontation with the younger daughter of the Lin family.

His reply came almost immediately.

Richard:Don't worry about it.

Elena stared at those three words for a few seconds.

For some reason, her cheeks suddenly felt warm.

She quickly typed another message.

As for Elena's parents, her relationship with them had never been particularly good.

Things had gotten even worse after her recent argument with her father, and they'd barely spoken since.

Still, if Lena decided to stir things up and somehow got Elena's father to come to the university, that could become a real headache.

And honestly, compared with her father, there was someone Elena disliked much more right now.

Lena.

If she could make Lena furious enough to lose her mind, all the better.

At the same time, Adrian had just walked out of the library when his phone rang.

The name Charlotte Whitmore flashed across the screen.

He frowned.

After a moment, he answered.

“Adrian?”

The moment the call connected, Lena's voice immediately became soft and aggrieved.

“Adrian, your ex-girlfriend is seriously out of control! She hit me in the head with a bottle, and I've been in pain ever since. I was willing to let it go if she apologized, but she refused to admit she did anything wrong. She even insulted me in front of everyone!”

Adrian's expression immediately turned cold.

Charlotte was friends with Victoria Sterling.

They weren't particularly close, but they belonged to the same social circle.

And Charlotte seemed to have done quite a few things for Victoria, dealing with people so Victoria wouldn't have to get involved herself.

Adrian had been paying close attention to the dynamics within that circle because he wanted to establish himself among them.

Over time, he'd begun to understand how things worked.

Charlotte wasn't particularly clever, but she still had some standing with Victoria.

Or perhaps—

the fact that she wasn't particularly clever was exactly why she was useful.

“…Is that so?”

Adrian's thoughts moved quickly.

“She really is getting more and more out of control.”

“Exactly.” Charlotte 's tone became a little more cautious. “Adrian, since you two have already broken up, I'm planning to teach her a lesson this time. You won't take her side, will you?”

Adrian instinctively opened his mouth to answer.

Then something from the past few days suddenly flashed through his mind.

A cold, mocking smile slowly appeared at the corner of his lips.

Elena was suddenly acting so confident.

She wasn't coming back to him.

She wasn't even trying to ask him for another chance.

There was only one explanation.

She must have met someone else.

Probably some wealthy older man with more money than sense—someone she'd managed to charm into giving her expensive jewelry.

And maybe he'd only lent it to her for a few days.

If Elena really got herself into trouble, especially trouble involving a powerful family like the Whitmore—

there was no way the man supporting her would risk making enemies just for a woman he'd bought some jewelry for.

He wouldn't throw himself into a mess over a temporary plaything.

Once that happened, Elena would be completely on her own.

With nowhere to turn and no one willing to help her, Lena could make sure her reputation was ruined.

Then Elena would finally understand how cruel reality could be.

She'd realize that those so-called benefactors couldn't be relied on.

Only Adrian could truly protect her.

Only he could give her a proper place by his side.

Eventually, she'd come crying back to him, begging him to save her.

Of course, Adrian wasn't about to offend Lena on Elena's behalf.

But he would enjoy watching Elena realize just how desperate her situation had become.

“She hit you,” Adrian said calmly. “That makes her the one in the wrong.”

His voice remained detached.

“If she refuses to apologize, then she should face the consequences. Do whatever you want. Don't worry about me.”

“Oh?”

Charlotte 's voice immediately brightened with satisfaction.

“With you saying that, I feel much better.”