Chapter 15
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Vivian asked for her name, and Claire answered, “Claire Miller.”
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When Vivian heard it, her expression changed. She stared at Claire for a long moment, as if she found Claire repulsive.
Then Vivian said, “It’s just a video. Who actually saw my daughter stealing money from Claire’s desk? Does the video even show that? All it shows is Chery looking through Claire’s desk. Girls have their needs. Maybe she was just looking for wipes or tampons.”
The video only caught Cheryl putting her hand into Claire’s desk cubby. It didn’t show her taking any money.
Cheryl’s eyes were red as she said, “Ms. Coleman, Mom, I was on my period. I knew Claire kept some tampons in her bag, so I just wanted to grab one.
“I’m
sorry, Claire. I shouldn’t have gone through your bag without asking. Don’t be mad, okay? But I swear I didn’t take your money. I’m not short on cash, especially not 3 thousand dollars. Besides, we’re close. Why would I do something like that?”
Vivian snorted, “Ms. Coleman, it’s pretty clear what’s going on here. Sure, Claire gets good grades, and you’re trying to go easy on her. But even at her age, her behavior is already this disappointing.”
She went on, “The Pierce Group has always funded the school’s scholarship program. I can’t believe it ended up going to someone with such poor morals.”
But then, Claire revealed a second video, which was also sent to her by Ryan.
This time, the video showed Cheryl caught red–handed. She was shoving a wad of cash into her bag, glancing around nervously as she slipped out of the classroom.
When Claire played the video, the whole office went dead silent.
Cheryl started to tremble, her face losing all color.
The homeroom teacher, the grade dean, and the vice principal were all in the office. No one would have expected a rich girl like Cheryl to steal. But the truth was right there on the
screen.
Vivian rubbed her temples, not saying a word.
Cheryl panicked. “Mom, I was just messing around with Claire.”
Arden Danner, the vice principal, jumped in. “It’s just kids fooling around.”
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Claire stared at Arden in disbelief. She couldn’t believe the principal was saying that. The evidence was right there, and he was still brushing it off as kids just playing around.
She found it ridiculous. No matter what, it was always she who got blamed. Her voice shook as she said, “I’m calling the police.”
week
away.
Can’t
“Claire, do you really have to make a scene right now? The SATs are just a you just relax for once?” Arden shot a look at Brielle. “Ms. Coleman, is this your star student? She really doesn’t know when to quit.”
Claire’s voice stayed firm, even though her whole body was trembling. All she wanted was to get what was fair.
- go. She But to Claire’s surprise, even Brielle, who usually had her back, was urging her to let it was frustrated, questioning why it always had to be her who was expected to swallow it.
*****
After the confrontation in the office, Humbert found her.
They’d been classmates for two years, but Claire had barely spoken to him. Their desks were just one aisle apart.
Occasionally, Claire would sneak a glance to catch a glimpse of his face.
But today, Humbert was standing right in front of her. “Claire, what Cheryl did was wrong. apologize on her behalf. The Pierce family will compensate you.”
He was much taller than she was, so Claire had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. He leaned against the windowsill, the sunlight streaming in behind him.
Claire realized he was hoping she’d let it go, not involve the police, and erase the video. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that none of this was her fault. To her, the compensation felt more like hush money, meant to silence her.
She kept silent, stubbornly biting her lip. Her face was red and sweaty from the sun, but she refused to back down.
I
Humbert frowned. He didn’t want to be part of this. Honestly, he just wished he could stay out of it. This was Cheryl’s mistake, and she should be punished.
But he dropped the idea because the SAT was around the corner, and his mother, Margaret, was still recovering from major surgery. Her health was fragile. If she found out Cheryl had stolen money, she’d probably faint from anger right there.
Besides, Cheryl was his niece. He didn’t want things to escalate like this.
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The Pierce family had always been strict. Their ancestors were in politics, and his father, Joseph, was the first to get into business. All his uncles held powerful positions, and his mother, Margaret, came from an old aristocratic family.
If Joseph ever found out what Cheryl had done, he’d be furious enough to break her legs.
“Claire, I hope you’ll think this through. There are other ways we can work this out,” Humbert
said.
The June sun beat down, making Claire feel lightheaded. She pressed her nails into her palm to steady herself. The faint scent of the boy in front of her seemed to linger in the air between them, threading into her chest.
Her throat felt dry. She tried to sound firm, but her voice was barely a whisper. “But I’m not a thief.”
Humbert glanced at her. Her face was flushed from the sun, and her skin was glowing.
She kept her gaze lowered as he said in an indifferent voice, “State your terms. As long as it’s something the Pierce family can do, we’ll do our best to make it happen.”
Claire hesitated for a moment and then asked softly, “Would
you be my boyfriend?”
“What?” Humbert was so shocked that he could hardly believe what he’d just heard.
He froze, staring at her for several long seconds and sizing her up. He hated being threatened, especially when it came to relationships.
But in the end, he nodded. “Alright. I don’t do long–distance. If you get into Sonisburg University, then I’ll agree,” he said, his voice cold and flat.
Claire’s best score in the practice exams was still eight points short of Sonisburg University’s minimum requirement. Her worst attempt was 26 points below.
It seemed impossible to improve and get 8 more points in just five days. But Claire defied the odds and made it happen.
That year’s SAT was not easy. Meanwhile, Cheryl was sent overseas right after the exam. As the Pierce family’s little princess, she didn’t have to worry about her future.
Back in college, their relationship was strictly secret, Claire knew he’d never want to make it public. No one would want to be seen with a fat girl. Even she couldn’t stand looking at herself
sometimes.
Deep down, Claire knew he didn’t really care about her. He probably never believed she’d get into Sonisburg University. The only reason he agreed to date her was because she deleted that
video.
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At the time, Claire was an adult. She understood that even if she hadn’t deleted it, even if she had called the cops, the Pierce family would always find a way to erase every trace of Cheryl’s
mess.
In this world, reality was always cruel. Fairness was a privilege reserved for the rich and powerful, while the truth belonged to those who could afford it.
Once, Claire asked Humbert, “If there hadn’t been that video, would you have believed me? Would you have thought I wasn’t a thief?”
That question kept haunting her. Everyone else could think whatever they wanted, but she couldn’t bear the thought of Humbert doubting her.
One Christmas Eve, after dinner at Jack’s place in Sonisburg, Claire headed to the hotel Humbert had reserved for them.
He gazed into her eyes and asked, “Claire, is my trust really that important to you?”
“Yes,” Claire answered softly, her voice steady.
He arched an eyebrow, giving a quiet hum. When his cold fingers brushed her chest, a shiver ran through her.
But Claire knew that asking these questions in bed would never give her the real answer. He might have never truly believed her.
She was just an ordinary, humble girl, his classmate for two years, and she had barely made an impression on him in high school.
However, Cheryl was his niece. Claire laughed at herself for how selfish she was for wanting
more.
田
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
