Chapter 272
She knew it was the end. Her life, her dreams for the future, all shattered by Flora
At eleven o’clock, the bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. Pens dropped, and the last test was finally over, marking the conclusion of three grueling years of high school.
Students burst out of the exam hall, some crying, some laughing, completely letting loose, feeling like they’d finally escaped a prison.
As Flora stepped out of the school building, she ran into Kaylee.
“Congrats, you’re free now,” Flora said, wrapping an arm around Kaylee’s shoulder with a smile.
But Kaylee wasn’t as cheerful as the others. She knew all too well that this wasn’t freedom, just a step into another cage.
Looking at Flora, she softly said, “Flora, let’s keep in touch. Don’t forget about me.”
“Silly,” Flora said, tapping her on the head. “Come on, our families are waiting for us.
As soon as they stepped out of the school gate, Flora spotted Connor, Raul, and Henrik waiting. She waved goodbye to Kaylee and ran into their welcoming arms.
“Finally done with exams. I’m exhausted,” Flora said, nestling into their embrace, playfully pouting.
Raul’s heart melted. “Haha, you worked so hard. Tell us, what do you want to eat?”
“I want shrimp scampi! And hot stew!”
“Alright, alright!”
Because of Flora’s exams, Raul had previously kept her away from greasy foods. But now, she could have whatever she wanted.
Sitting in the car, Flora browsed Twitter on her phone. The name “Carina” was trending in the top ten.
#Shock! High school student arrested by police on exam day#
#Westbrook High School student Carina#
#Beautiful top student Carina’s image collapses#
Flora clicked on one of the trending topics, only to see a flood of angry comments.
“She’s more disgusting than fake gum. I can’t believe I liked her yesterday. Makes me want to vomit.”
“This is the fastest image collapse I’ve ever seen. I knew something was off when I saw her interview yesterday. That creepy smile wasn’t a good sign!”
“Am I the only one curious about why she was arrested? Cheating or what? Seems like a big deal.”
“I know, she hired someone to hurt another student. The other student had better grades, so she hired someone to run them over!”
“She’s so evil. When can we dance on her grave?”
Flora skimmed through the comments and then exited the app, her face expressionless. These kinds of comments were expected. That evening, Raul prepared a feast, all the dishes Flora had been craving. Flora ate until her stomach was full, slouching back in her chair, completely unbothered about appearances.
Connor skillfully massaged her stomach while Raul and Henrik watched, smiling with satisfaction.
After dinner, Connor suggested a walk.
“Ugh, I don’t want to go,” Flora groaned, feeling too tired and just wanting to collapse into bed.
“Come on, be good. Let’s take a walk,” Connor said softly.
“Yeah, let’s go for a walk,” Raul and Henrik chimed in together.
Flora sensed something was off but couldn’t put her finger on it, so she quietly followed Connor outside.
They walked around the park, and Flora noticed Connor seemned unusually nervous, his hand clammy with sweat.
“Are you hot?” she asked, feeling the moisture in his palm.
Connor pressed his lips together, his breathing uneven. Just then, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out to check.
“Who is it?” Flora asked, leaning in to see, but Connor quickly covered her eyes with his hand. “Flora, close your eyes.”