Chapter 3

During the break, I went to the bathroom. Just as I closed the stall door, I heard a "click"—someone locked it from the outside.

Madison's laughter came from outside. "Lily, you were pretty bold just now, huh? If you kneel down and beg me, I'll be kind and pour a little less water on you."

As soon as she finished speaking, a bucket of cold water poured down from above.

I was soaked through.

Madison and her group laughed hysterically outside.

I wiped my face, stepped back two paces, and slammed into the bathroom door.

"Bang!"

The lock broke. I rushed out and grabbed Madison by the hair, shoving her head into the dirty sink beside us.

"Ahh—!" She screamed and struggled.

The other three were terrified. No one dared move.

I pressed her down, enunciating each word. "I'm not interested in Ethan. Don't provoke me. Got it?"

Just then, Ethan suddenly rushed in and without a word, slapped me across the face.

"Smack!"

My cheek stung with burning pain.

"Lily, this is bullying!" He stood protectively in front of Madison.

The dean arrived at the sound. "Everyone stop right now!"

Madison covered her face and collapsed crying into Ethan's arms. "I don't know why she suddenly came at me. I just got a little closer to Ethan. If you didn't like it, you could have just said so. Why bully me like this?"

Ethan looked at me coldly. "Dean, Lily struck first."

I laughed coldly. "Then explain why I'm soaking wet."

"There's a surveillance camera at the bathroom entrance. Who's right and who's wrong will be clear with one look."

The dean glanced at me, then at him.

I knew that between Ethan and me—one ranked first in grade, one ranked second, both aiming for Ivy League schools—punishing either of us could cause problems.

In the end, the dean glared at Madison. "Madison Brooks, 5,000-word self-criticism, to be read aloud at Monday's school-wide assembly!"

Madison glared at me hatefully.

"Lily! I'm not done with you!"

Monday, just after Madison finished reading her self-criticism, the school forum exploded.

A user called "Ethan's Wife" went on a posting spree on the forum.

[Ethan wore a white shirt today, so handsome!]

[Worthy of being my boyfriend, want to lick, want to lick]

[That idiot Madison, why is she so close to my boyfriend?]

[Ethan and I are childhood friends. I'm Mrs. Lane's handpicked daughter-in-law. Does that bitch think she can compete with me?]

The attached images were all private photos of Ethan—eating, sleeping, wearing a tank top... The angles were extremely intimate, clearly taken at home.

Based on the deliberately provided "clues" in the posts, you didn't even need to guess—it was obviously "me."

The student next to me gave me a thumbs up. "Holy crap, girl, you're amazing!"

"Lily dares to love and hate. Truly an inspiration to us all."

"Is this what academic love looks like? So thrilling!"