Web Fic
Chapter 294
Chapter 294
The moment the video call connected, Juliana was greeted by a strikingly handsome face.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she was about to get a closer look when her phone was suddenly snatched away. Turning around, she saw Cordelia swiftly grabbing the phone from behind and handing it over to Merry.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
Merry shot Juliana a wary glance.
Juliana was stunned, feeling a sense of déjà vu. That quick glimpse... it felt eerily familiar. Could it be... Bland?
Impossible. How could it be Bland?
She must have been seeing things.
Looking back at Merry, if Merry and Bland were that close, Bland could easily usher her into the glamorous world of Hollywood. Why bother with the grueling auditions for the Ontoky City Film and Animation Academy?
So, she must have been mistaken.
Merry was already glaring at her. "Juliana, didn't your folks teach you not to mess with other people's stuff? What's with your low-class behavior?"
Low-class?
That set Juliana off. "Oh, and you're high-class? Obsessing over a celeb who's already taken. I don't know whether to call you shameless or just delusional!"
Merry, never one to lose a verbal spar, scoffed. Juliana's words were like water off a duck's back. "What about you? Sorted things out with your fiancé yet? Weren't you two at each other's throats just yesterday?"
That hit a nerve with Juliana, leaving her fuming and breathless with indignation.
Ever since Hayley transferred, Juliana felt isolated, her grievances and bitterness finding no outlet, making her lash out without a care for appearances.
At that moment, Merry's words made her glance at Hanley in the front row.
He seemed oblivious to the drama unfolding behind him, engrossed in his work, which only fueled her anger further.
Just yesterday, Hanley had snapped at her, suggesting they call off the engagement if she was so bothered by it. Men are all the same, heartless.
Taking a deep breath, Juliana tried to collect herself and focused on distributing the examination papers instead.
Unbeknownst to her, Hanley had headphones in, blasting English songs, completely tuning out the commotion around him.
With Juliana's interruption, Merry didn't get to video call Bland, so she settled for a quick text to wish him a good morning before diving into exam preparations.
As days turned into routines, Yates' leg injury healed within a week, being just a minor cut.
Come the end-of-January mock exams, Cordelia unsurprisingly topped the year, while Merry's grades steadily improved, breaking into the top hundred. With a solid foundation, she was well on her way to securing a spot in the Ontoky City Film and Animation Academy.
Even Little Flame showed progress, climbing from the very bottom to rank around five hundred, a jump of a hundred places. Yet, the gap to Superiority College remained vast.
Despite discouragement from many, Yates, as stubborn as his fiery red hair, refused to give up. Only through effort could he live without regrets. Life smoothly sailed towards the year-end, with underclassmen breaking for winter holidays while seniors buckled down, grinding till the 28th before getting a break.
On the last day, their homeroom teacher, Mr. Latham, cycled to class on his beat-up bike to deliver a pep talk about not slacking off during the holidays with the SATS looming in less than five months.
After class dispersed with palpable excitement, only Cordelia and Merry remained, packing up. That's when Cordelia's notebook fell to the floor. Both bent down to pick it up, their hands brushing against each other beneath the desk. They shared a smile, but before they could stand, footsteps approached, and the door shut.
Hanley's voice, weary and heavy, broke the silence. "Juliana, what are you doing?"
Juliana, much more somber than before, pleaded desperately, "Hanley, can we not break off the engagement? I promise to change. If we break it off, my reputation will be ruined!"
Hanley sighed, "I've given you a way out. Blame it on me, say I was inconsiderate, anything. I've given you plenty of time. Why hasn't your family approached mine yet?"
"I won't break it off!" Juliana declared.
Hanley rubbed his temples, "Juliana, don't be so stubborn. You've disappointed me too much. If your family doesn't reach out by the new year, I'll have to initiate the break-off. I've given you enough time."
Juliana's plea turned hysterical, "Hanley! Can't you even let us have a peaceful New Year? How can you be so heartless?"
Without another word, Hanley attempted to leave, but Juliana grabbed him, pressing his hand against her and kissing it, "Hanley, please... don't end this. I love you..."
But Hanley pushed her away, "Don't do this. It only makes you look worse."
Stunned, Juliana watched as Hanley paused at the door, "Out of the years we've shared, I'll give you till the 16th of the first month. If you don't come forward by then, I'll talk to my parents."
With those final words, he left, leaving Juliana in tears.
Her sobs filled the classroom, making the situation awkward for Merry and Cordelia, who had remained crouched the entire time, not wanting to interrupt the heated exchange.
So, there they were, hunkered down, waiting for the coast to clear.
Merry and Cordelia exchanged a glance, their silent communication almost palpable:
Merry: "Lia, should we stand up and roast her?"
Cordelia: "...Not interested."
Merry: "Guess not, it's too awkward anyway."
Cordelia: "...Yeah."
Just as they decided to remain in their awkward squat, Merry's phone suddenly blasted a rock tune from the 90s. In a frantic scramble, she dug it out from her bag and hit 'end call.'
The noise caught Juliana's attention, who bolted upright, "Who's that?"
Merry and Cordelia reluctantly stood up.
Caught in an awkward situation, Juliana, piecing together their earlier conversation and actions, lashed out, "It's you two again! Were you deliberately hanging around to laugh at my misfortune?!"
Merry: "Sorry, we don't eavesdrop. You just didn't give us a chance to leave."
Juliana, unable to channel her hurt feelings elsewhere, snarled at them, "Cordelia, seeing me like this, does it make you happy?! I'm the rightful heiress of the Delaney family, how dare you come along and take everything that's mine! I despise you!"
Cordelia disliked confrontations, but Merry wouldn't let her friend be at a disadvantage, retorting sarcastically, "That's rich, coming from you. It was you who stole Lia's fiancé, you who usurped the Delaney heiress title. Talk about twisting the truth!"
Juliana was furious, almost ready to throw a punch, but her sense of reason told her these two were not to be trifled with.
She stamped her foot in frustration,
"Merry, why are you always in my way! What are you anyway? Even if I'm disgraced, dumped, I'm still a Miss Delaney, which is more than what you can say after being kicked out You, unloved by your parents, how dare you mock me?
Merry felt the sting of her words, her heart tightening, "Juliana, if it wasn't for the fact you were dumped today and not in your right mind, I would've hit you! You better watch out!"
But Juliana, teetering on the edge of rage, wasn't listening.
She scoffed, "You pity me? What right do you have? You, Merry, are nothing! At least I had a fiancé. And you? Your idol, your 'husband', Bland, he's taken! He's officially off the market!! I might still have a shot with Hanley, but you? You're destined to be alone! No one loves you!!"
"All your struggles are futile! This life, the next, forever, you'll never catch up to Bland! Stop dreaming!"
Merry was livid, thinking this woman was out of her mind.
Just as she was about to retort, the
classroom door was suddenly knocked on, and a tall man wearing a baseball cap and a face mask entered. His presence seemed to bring light into the room, his voice melodious as he spoke, "Sorry, heard my name and couldn't help but interrupt."
Juliana: "???"
Stunned, she managed to ask, "And you are?"
The familiar figure, the familiar voice, and his words hinted at an unbelievable possibility...
As she pondered, the man took off his mask and cap.
Underneath the neatly trimmed hair was the face of a Greek god. With a gentle smile, he spoke, "I'm here to pick up my girlfriend for the winter
break."
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