Chapter 22 Step Aside
He suddenly thought of the previous life.
The day before Luna's ashes were laid to rest, Rory showed up at the door in a Sterling luxury car.
Rory was nothing like the seventeen-year-old he'd known. Expensive dress. Designer bag on her arm. Smiling sweetly, she handed over an invitation to her and Hayes's engagement party.
Days of insomnia had turned Jax's face a sickly pale. His eyes were a striking, deep black. He watched Rory in silence.
Rory's lips curled into a smile, soft and sweet. "Jax, don't forget to come to my engagement party with Hayes tomorrow."
Jax leaned against the doorframe. So angry he laughed. Lips curved. Eyes narrowed. He spat out one cold word. "Get out."
The next day, Hayes and Rory's engagement party went ahead as planned. Julian's influence was so massive that even paparazzi showed up.
Amid a room full of congratulations, Luna's ashes were quietly buried.
Jax knew. Rory did it on purpose.
She'd picked that day for the engagement on purpose.
"Jax?" Rory called out, confused.
Jax snapped out of it. He glanced at Rory, cold. "I'll ride my bike."
They'd originally planned to catch a ride with the neighbor.
After Jax left, the air got weird.
Rory felt a bit embarrassed. She looked down and took a bite of her bun.
Penny was soft-hearted. She couldn't stand seeing Rory looking so deflated. "Your brother just wants to exercise more lately. Don't overthink it."
Rory chewed on her chopstick. "I'm not overthinking. I just... um... Mom, do you think Jax likes someone?"
Penny's chopsticks stopped mid-air, reaching for pickled vegetables. "No way."
"With Jax's personality..."
Rory remembered the photos she'd seen on the forum. She didn't want to admit it, but they did look good together.
She smiled. "Maybe I'm overthinking it."
-
After breakfast, Rory went next door.
The neighbor was a cafeteria lady from Kingsley Prep. She'd slept in today, so by the time Rory got to school, she was about to be late.
She was close to tears.
Kingsley Prep was strict about tardiness. She rushed to clock in, then spotted Hayes climbing out of a car, looking exhausted.
Rory stopped. She waited for Hayes to clock in, then walked up to him. "Hayes."
Her voice was sweet. She tilted her head. "Didn't sleep well?"
Hayes nodded. "Couldn't crack the hardest problem last night."
"Can you send it to me? Let me see if I can solve it." Rory stuck out her tongue. "Don't judge."
Hayes's lips curved. "Sure. I'll send you the practice problems when we get to class."
"Okay." Rory sighed dramatically. "I can't believe there's a problem even The Genius can't solve."
"Stop." Hayes knocked her on the head. "Keep flattering me and my head won't fit through the door."
Rory giggled.
She stayed beside Hayes. From the corner of her eye, she caught the looks from girls they passed. Surprised. Envious. Jealous.
Every single one made her day.
Until they walked into Class 1-A together.
Rory was ranked fifth in the class. When picking seats, she'd chosen the second row, right in front of Hayes.
But someone was already sitting in her seat.
Luna had a lollipop in her mouth. She was turned around, chatting with Mila in the row ahead.
She'd put her hair in a rare messy bun that framed her face. Loose strands by her ears. A crystal clip on the side caught the light.
Rory had seen it in a boutique once. She'd loved it but couldn't afford it.
She bit her lip, hiding her annoyance. She walked up to Luna, chin high, like a proud little peacock. "Luna. This is my seat. Step aside."
The noisy classroom went dead silent.
Students all around looked over. Some openly, some sneaking glances.
Luna propped her chin on her hand and smiled. "What a coincidence. I was waiting for you."
"Waiting for me?" Rory's eyes went wide. "I don't think we're close enough for that. Please move."
Deep down, she was sure Luna was sitting here just to get Hayes's attention.
They'd had an engagement since childhood. But anyone with eyes could see it. Hayes didn't like Luna. Strip away the engagement, and it was always Luna throwing herself at him.
"Oh, really?" Luna was perfectly relaxed. "Maybe think again?"
Hayes dropped his bag on the desk. He crossed his long legs, tapped the table. "Luna, say what you need and leave. Don't use your family's money to bully people."
Rory bit her lip. She looked fragile and wronged.
Luna looked at Hayes with genuine surprise. "Are you Rory's boyfriend?"
Hayes's mask nearly cracked. "What did you say?"
Luna patiently repeated herself. "Are you Rory's boyfriend?"
"Of course I'm not." Hayes frowned. "Stop making things up."
He denied it so fast. Rory felt a hole open in her chest.
She looked like she might collapse.
Luna rolled her eyes. "Then are you her brother?"
"No."
"Then are you her mother?"
Hayes's face went thunderous. "Luna, stop being ridiculous."
"Who's being ridiculous?" Luna said. "If you're not her boyfriend or her anything, what gives you the right to make a scene about us?"
"Damn..."
Half the class gasped. Their faces were something to see.
Mila pressed her lips together hard, trying not to laugh out loud.
Hayes stared at Luna, stunned.
Like a dog he'd raised from a pup. One that had always trotted behind him. And one day, it just ran off.
Rory took a deep breath. "Luna, I know you don't like me. But this is between us. Don't drag innocent people into it."
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Look at the original heroine and her righteous act.
"Fine, then I'll deal with you." Luna smiled sweetly. "Rory. Two days are up. Got my ninety thousand ready?"
Ninety thousand...
For Rory right now, that was an insane amount of money.
She almost lost her footing. Her hand shot out to grab the desk.
She hated that Luna was sitting in her seat, so she steadied herself on Hayes's desk instead.
Mila chimed in. "The dress you spilled wine on last time."
Rory panicked. "I only spilled a little! It can be washed! Why ninety thousand? That's just bullying!"
"Tell you what. I'll give you this dress, and you buy me one that costs about the same." Luna waved her hand. "That's not bullying, is it?"
"What would I do with a dress?"
Rory bit her lip.
"This kind of dress can't be washed. And I don't want one that's been washed. Either pay up or replace it." Luna said.