?Chapter 770:

    “What!?” Mnie nearly fell out of her seat. “You’re joking, right? How can you not know your own sister’s address? She’s got you on lockdown tighter than a pop star dodging the paparazzi!”

    A sheepish grin spread across Ethan’s face. “Maybe she’s just making sure I never cross paths with her husband…”

    A long, drawn-out sigh escaped Mnie as she ran through her mental checklist.

    This level of secrecy was a new hurdle, but she wasn’t ready to quit.

    Giving herself a moment to think, Mnie finally said, “Alright then, here’s another angle. What if you—”

    A sharp voice interrupted before she could finish.

    Marisa had materialized behind them, her tone frosty. “Mnie, don’t tell me you’re pestering Ethan again?”

    Marisa popped the lollipop out of her mouth, spoke slowly, and said, “Let me spell it out for you. Ethan’s under my protection now, so keep your distance. You’d be smart not to mess with me.”

    Her voice barely rose in volume, yet it was sharp enough to cut through the noise in the room and draw every pair of eyes her way.

    It had almost be routine for Marisa to drop by whenever the bell rang for a break. Only yesterday, she had turned a corner and caught sight of Mnie and Ethan tucked away near the end of the hallway.

    This time, she caught them deep in conversation again,ughing as though they shared some private joke. Mnie leaned in close, practically clinging to Ethan as if he belonged to her.

    The sight stirred a sharp frustration in Marisa. Ethan wasn’t just anyone — he was her friend. Did Mnie really think she could take that from her? Was this some kind of petty revenge?

    Her thoughts grew heavier when she overheard a few voices whispering by the doorway.

    G  al  no vel s . holds tales worth reading

    “Hey, look at that. Mnie always rushes to Ethan right after ss. I even saw her dragging him along after school yesterday. You think something’s going on between them?”

    “That can’t be right. Back when Ethan was new here, Mnie wouldn’t stop giving him trouble.”

    “But maybe she was just trying to grab Ethan’s attention by bullying him?”

    Off to the side, a small group of students huddled together, tossing nces at Marisa while one of them muttered, “Look at her. Maybe Ethan’s done with Marisa already.”

    The words hit harder than Marisa expected. She hadn’t thought the students in ss One would be so eager to spread rumors.

    And yet, something about their words struck a nerve, sharp and sudden. She couldn’t decide which part unsettled her more. Was it Mnie’s sudden interest in Ethan? Or was it how quickly Ethan allowed someone new to slip into his orbit?

    Trying to stay level-headed, Marisa told herself that she only wanted to keep Ethan around because he made her life less boring. There was nothing more than that. Still, her feet moved before her thoughts could stop them, carrying her forward.

    Just as Marisa arrived, Mnie stood up without a nce and walked off, cool and unfazed, straight back to her seat. She clearly had no intention of starting a fight with Marisa.

    Before Ethan could smooth things over, Marisa caught hold of his wrist and yanked him out of the room.

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