Chapter 19

After Sebastian and Ronald stormed off that night, Tessa was certain they would go after Bella right away. Yet when they returned the next day, they behaved as if nothing had happened. She couldn't forget their warning. "Tess, you'll pay for what you've done." In the days that followed, she lived in dread, waiting for their retaliation. But nothing came. As time passed quietly, she began to believe they had merely cut ties and had no real intention of harming her. Relieved, she kept a low profile on campus, telling herself that if she could just make it through the next few years, she could sell their gifts, vanish far away, and build a decent life with her degree. She had signed up for the freshman orientation event early on and couldn't back out. Now, without Sebastian and Ronald's backing, she had no room to act willfully. All she could do was hope nothing went wrong. Around that time, she began to notice whispers nearby. But whenever she looked, no one seemed to be paying he