Chapter 19 Disqualified

b= /b

+8 Pearls

“Naomi?”

He froze in shock.

Naomi lifted her head in a panic the moment the door opened. She scrambled over and threw herself into Zayden’s arms. “Zayden!”

Tears streamed down her bface/b.

The students bnearby /bwere stunned.

“Naomi? What were you doing in the equipment room?”

“Yeah, and why do you look like you’ve been through ba /bwar…?”

Naomi’s clothes were covered in dust from the equipment room. Her whole body looked like it had been dragged through grime.

“Who locked you in here?” Zayden’s face darkened.

This was a physical exam day–an important one. Who would pull such a cruel stunt now of all times?

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10

8:38 AM

The Heiress’s Second Chance at Vengeance

Chapter 20 The Locked Door

“It it was Elizat Eliza locked bme /bin there!”

Naomi sobbed uncontrobly.

Zayden’s expression turned even colder the moment he heard her usation.

Just then. Eliza arrived at the scene with Henry and the others.

Every gaze shifted to her.

Especially Zayden’s–his eyes held nothing but icy bsuspicion/b. “Eliza, did you lock Naomi in the equipment room?”

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Eliza looked at Naomi, who was crying miserably in his arms, and asked with genuine confusion, “What? I locked Naomi in the equipment room? Zayden, what are you even talking about?”

“Eliza” I already apologized to you at lunch! Why would you do this to me? bI /bmissed my PE exam! What about my SATS

bnow /b

bNaomi /bred at her bwith /bhatred.

She couldn’t believe Eliza had gone this far.

“This key–weren’t the one who left it

eft it in the

you

Zayden stepped closer, eyes locked on Eliza.

Eliza answered calmly, “I was.”

A collective gasp ran through the crowd.

So was she admitting it?

“If it was you, what more is there to say?”

the door?”

Zayden’s voice was like frost. “Eliza, I never thought you could be this cruel! Naomi is byour /bsister. You actually locked her in there and made her miss the exam!”

“It’s true that I put the key in the door. bBut /bI didn’t block /banyone in

Eliza remained bposed/b. “I was runningte and headed downstairs to help move equipment. When I got to the door, it was already locked. I found the key bon /bthe bground /band assumed someone had dropped it. Every PE monitor has one, and so do the teachers–I bdidn’t /bknow whose it wasb. /bSo I bjust /bput it in the lock. What’s so wrong about that?”

Her bexnation /bwas seamless.

Even the others baround /bher began exchanging uncertain bnces/b..

Henry stepped forward and shielded bher/b. “bEliza’s /bbnot /ba PE bmonitor/b. She doesn’t have a key. Think about it–how could bshe /block banyone /bint And didn’t you hear her? bThe /bdoor was already locked when she got there! If banyone /blocked someone in there, it wasn’t her. Dol really need to spell out who might bhave /bhidden inside band /btried to pin it on bsomeone /belse?”

“You’re lying! I’m telling the btruth/b!” bNaomi’s /bface turned pale as she noticed the uncertain looks people were bgiving /bher.

There were whispers all around.

“Eliza doesn’t even have a bkey/bb. /bHow could it be her?”

“Yeah, it doesn’t make sense..”

“Why would Naomi bsay /bthat then? Something’s not right here…”

Naomi stood frozen

8:38 AM

Chapter 20 The Locked bDoor /b

Why bwasn’t /banyone believing her?

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“Naomi, think carefully. Are you sure it was Elizab?/bb” /bbEven /bZaydenb, /bwho usually sided with her, was starting to doubt her.

Naomi yanked her hand from his. “It was Eliza! Why won’t any of you believe me?!

“Eliza even spoke up for you in ss when the teacher got mad. She tried to find you. Naomi. I know you don’t like PE, but this was an important exam. You shouldn’t have cked off.”

Zayden’s words hit Naomi like a lightning bolt,

She had been locked in that room–she’d screamed until her voice gave out and no one heard her.

Why wouldn’t anyone believe her!

“Zayden. I’m telling the truth! It really was her!”

J

From behind them, Scarlett chimed in. “bNaomi/b, I remember you asked Zayden for the key earlier, didn’t you? We were already done moving equipment, so why did you need it?”

Naomi was panicking.

Why was everyone bturning /bon herb? /b

bShe /bhad taken Eliza downstairs with her, and once Eliza stepped back, she’d mmed the door shut and jammed the key in the lock, so Naomi couldn’t get out.

Now they were twisting the story on her?

Naomi turned to bZayden/b, desperate for a lifeline–bfor /bjust one person bto /bbbelieve /bher.

But Zayden stayed silent.

No, byou /basked me for the key. I’d already told you we’d finished bmoving /beverything. You said you wanted to go pick a mat. I didn’t think much of it, so I gave it to byou/b.”

His voice bwas /bunreadable.

–

“Forget how the key ended up in Eliza’s hands. Just tell me why would you, of all people, volunteer to move equipment? That’s never happened beforeb./b”

Naomi opened her mouth, but bnothing /bcame bout/b.

She couldn’t bpossibly /bsay she had nned to lock Eliza bup /bbinstead/b.

“Noom, I know you didn’t want to take the test. So you hid in the equipment room band /bcame up with a story about being Jocked in. But ming me–your bown /bsister–do you know what kind of punishment I’d face if the school believed you? I used to think you were bkind/b. I never expected you to be this vicious.

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