CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 70

"It’s good you didn’t come near me," she said, her voice hoarse. "It would have affected you too."

"What are you saying?" He fell to one knee before her, took her hands into his, his eyes not leaving hers. "If I had known it would be like this, I would have made it public."

Though they won’t know we are doing this because of the curse, they would certainly believe we are dating, he reasoned.

"No. That would affect your job," Rhea interjected. "And besides, students and their teachers can’t have a thing together."

"I thought I’d told you this before: I don’t care about that." He sighed heavily, resting his head on her hands, then looked back at her, cupping her face. "If it would take away this feeling you are having right now, I would do anything, even if it means wiping them all out."

Rhea chuckled softly. I see you still haven’t learned anything from Bethany.

"What, are you a tyrant?" Rhea asked, her lips stretching into a small smile.

"If that would make your problems go away, I would gladly become one."

Her mouth fell open, as his words took her by surprise.

What kind of a creature are Sirens? Rhea pondered. He seems not to give meaning to other people’s lives except mine. He feels so cold-blooded and warm at the same time.

Rhea reached for his face, leaned forward, then placed a kiss on his forehead. "We are not doing any of that. There are other ways to solve this, okay? So promise me you won’t go killing anyone." Rhea said, looking him dead in the eyes.

Rhea looked at Zeenare, her eyes glimmering with a new light.

Zeenare stared into her eyes for a minute and saw the lights returning to them, a resolve that left him shaken. Then he asked, "What is it you want to do then?"

"I’ll be starting with the rumor about Tiffany and me," she began, her gaze locked onto her bedroom wall.

"I can help you with that," he muttered, bringing her to stare at him.

"How?" she asked.

"You’ll see." He smirked.

By morning, when Rhea woke up, Tia had already left. Rhea stared at her door as her resolve began to build.

She was going to get her life back, and she was going to start with that bitch, Tiffany.

"Tiffany, I hope you’re ready for today," she muttered, stepping out of her apartment.

The moment Rhea stepped into class, the first thing she was greeted with were glares, murmuring, and the sarcasm of students.

But she was unshaken. She graciously made her way to an empty seat, one where everyone would be able to see her perfectly well.

She had told herself she wasn’t going to cower to a rumor that wasn’t true.

"Look at her walking with so much confidence," a girl pointed at her. "She really is thick-skinned."

"I bet one of her sugar daddies comforted her last night, that’s why she feels so bold," said a girl with freckles and ginger hair, causing the class to erupt in laughter.

Rhea turned to the girl with a smile, stalked up to her seat, and said, "Is that what is hurting you? Because I know for a fact you’re dying for attention, and now that you have it, you can’t keep your mouth shut."

The girl’s face formed a frown, pressing down on her lips in a thin line, her earlier nonchalance vanishing from her eyes.

Everyone who was murmuring before kept quiet, staring at Rhea.

Then Rhea turned to the class, her voice strong. "Every one of you who keeps shouting nonsense about me without proof, just because you’re enjoying gossip and looking for a scapegoat to vent your frustrations on, you better think well before you say anything. Because I’ll charge you for defamation after this rumor is over." Rhea turned back to the girl, her eyes sizing her up for a moment like a prey, then moved away from the girl’s desk and headed back to her seat.

As she walked, everyone’s eyes were on her, their murmuring silent. They shared glances among themselves like they had missed something.

Rhea’s gaze swept across the class and landed on Tiffany. Not taking her eyes off her, she smirked, causing Tiffany’s brow to house a frown. Then Rhea’s gaze moved to Zack, then Athaliah, before she sat down.

A few minutes later, Zeenare walked in, a folder in one hand and a tablet in the other.

"Um," he hummed, scanning the class.

"Why is it as quiet as a grave? Is there an event?" he asked, flipping through pages on the folder.

No one said anything.

His attention then fell on Rhea, who was sitting lazily without a care in the world.

Zeenare’s soft chuckle enveloped the class, somehow easing the tense atmosphere.

She must have done something, he thought, adjusting his glasses, a tiny smile plastered on his face.

Then he turned to the class, "Today we’d be—"

"Sir, is it true?" Zack cut Zeenare short before he could even begin. "You know, the rumors concerning Rhea and Tiffany?"

Rhea scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Of course he’d be the one to ask," she said, her arms folded.

Of course one of the perpetrators would ask, Zeenare let out a breath, then his calm and authoritative voice cut through the room, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I really need to address a disturbing rumor," he said, his voice carrying across the room. "The rumor is that I broke up with my girlfriend, Tiffany, because I was blackmailed by Ms. George."

A hush fell over the crowd. Zack and Athaliah watched with deep concentration.

Tiffany, on the other hand, was fidgeting nervously in her seat.

Zeenare stepped forward, his voice clear and strong. "The rumor is a lie. But it’s not what you think."

What is he saying? Rhea pondered, trying to understand his point.

Zeenare then looked directly at Tiffany. "The truth is, there was no breakup to begin with. Tiffany and I have never been in a relationship. The rumor was a fabrication, created for a very different purpose. It was a lure."

The students erupted in confused whispers. Zack’s smirk vanished.

Zeenare added, "And Rhea and I know who created that rumor. It was the same person who said Ms. George stole her boyfriend, Ms. Tiffany. Can you tell the class if I’m lying?" He turned to Tiffany, a devious smile in his eyes.

"I-I-I-" Tiffany stuttered, her eyes not leaving her hand under her desk.

"You what?" Rhea snapped. "Cat got your tongue now? When you were spreading lies, you didn’t stutter. Now you suddenly can’t talk properly?" She growled. "You almost ruined my life because of this. You almost ruined his career because of your stupid stunt. Now you’ve suddenly turned into a stammerer?"

The whole class roared, some throwing confused glances at Tiffany, others glaring with venomous words.

Suddenly Tiffany snapped back, "I did no such thing!" She turned to Zeenare. "So after sleeping with me, you are choosing her over me?" she said, pulling the victim card.

Zeenare said nothing but smiled instead.

Rhea’s brows shot up, her eyelashes flicking at Tiffany’s change of tactics, her eyes wide open.

This bitch is crazy, she thought.

"Is that so?" Zeenare asked, his voice calm and even. "Then what kind of proof do you have to back up your claim?"

"In your office! And my friend can testify to that," she shouted, pointing at the girl beside her.

So you don’t want to back down. I’m happy to oblige if that’s what you want, he thought.

"Okay," he said, grabbing his tablet. "Since the alleged incident took place in my office, why don’t we watch the footage from the CCTV then."

"Please don’t," Tiffany hurriedly begged Zeenare, her face flooded with a nervous breakdown. Her eyes were darting without focus.

"Why should he stop?" Rhea’s voice was a cold, sharp blade. "Because the footage proves your lies? And you don’t want others to see?" She took a step toward Tiffany, her face a mask of satisfaction.

The silence that followed was thick with Tiffany’s shame. Tiffany said nothing, her gaze fixed on the tablet, her hands clenched into fists.

"Sir, upload it to the projector. We want to see!" a student prodded from the back.

"Yeah! Do it!" others chanted, each one pushing for the video to be uploaded.

Tiffany’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with terror. "I-I-I’m sorry. Please don’t post it," she begged, the words barely a whisper. Her mind rumbling through the event that happened in his office of how she’d thrown herself on his forcefully.

A flicker of cold rage passed through Rhea’s eyes, quickly replaced by a chilling calmness. Sorry? Sorry won’t do anything. She strode closer, leaning over Tiffany’s desk, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone.

"Your apology won’t cut it. You know the way you posted it on the school blog? You are going to do the exact same thing with the truth. Because if you don’t, your ass is following me to the school board and the police station."

Rhea stood back up, a new kind of power thrumming through her. She watched Tiffany crumble, knowing she had finally won.

"What the fuck," a boy voiced. "So Tiffany was the one screwing around?" He scoffed. "A full score to the most scheming popular girl on campus." Everyone laughed.

"Then does this mean you are dating Rhea?" another student said to Zeenare.