Chapter Seventy: A New Dawn

Chapter Seventy: A New Dawn

Lydia Moore sighed softly, surprised by the unusual cold in the southern weather, and unconsciously quickened her pace.

As she walked, a pair of brightly colored high heels suddenly appeared in her path. Instinctively, she looked up, and there they were—three tall, unfamiliar girls staring at her with malicious intent, their eyes dark and foreboding, as if they could pierce through her.

Not wanting to get into another conflict, Lydia lowered her head and tried to walk around them, but the girl with straight hair stepped in front of her, blocking her way. "What? Trying to run away? Do you really think you can escape?" she sneered, shoving Lydia hard. Feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion, Lydia attempted to leave, but the other two girls quickly cut off her exit.

"I already told you, you can't run. Take her away," the straight-haired girl commanded, a wicked smile playing on her lips. With a wave of her hand, four arms grabbed Lydia's shoulders. Lydia struggled to free herself, but their grip was too strong. Several students passing by witnessed the scene, but none dared to intervene. They could only watch helplessly as Lydia was dragged away.

Inside a lavishly decorated restaurant, a radiant young girl chattered animatedly, her full lips moving rapidly, her eyes and mouth brimming with excitement. Across from her, a handsome young man sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the window, the veins on his hand bulging with barely concealed irritation.

After talking for a while, the girl, noticing that Aaron King wasn't paying attention to her, let out a huff of frustration. Following his line of sight, she saw Lydia Moore being dragged away outside. A malicious grin spread across her face. "Oh, it's Lila Yu. Looks like Lydia Moore's in for it this time," she said with glee. At Sakura, apart from Elena Rivers, Lila Yu was the most influential girl on campus, notorious for her cruel methods. Lydia was sure to suffer at her hands.

Relishing the thought, she continued, "Aaron King, you're like a prince, so noble. And she had the nerve to anger you—she's got some nerve!"

"Shut up!" Aaron King suddenly slammed his coffee cup off the table, making the girl jump in fear, her face paling as she fell silent, unsure of what had triggered his anger. D*mn it! He hated her, didn't he? So why had he almost lost control when he saw her being bullied? Why was he overwhelmed with worry when he heard what the girl had said? Slumping back into the sofa, Aaron closed his eyes, his emotions in turmoil.

On the rooftop, the cold wind howled, the oppressive atmosphere stifling.

"So, you're Lydia Moore? Looks like you haven't been doing too well lately," Lila Yu, with her wild hair and dark eye makeup, taunted as she grabbed Lydia's chin. "How are you enjoying these past few days? Memorable, I bet," she sneered, taking a long drag from her cigarette before blowing the smoke directly into Lydia's face. Lydia winced, unable to escape as Lila gripped the back of her head.

Lila Yu leaned in closer, her seductive eyes glinting with a twisted light. "What do you think… if I burned a few holes in your pale face with this cigarette? Wouldn't that be beautiful?" she laughed, a dangerous, unhinged sound, like a demon from hell. The other three girls joined in, their hideous laughter echoing across the empty rooftop.

A chilling fear crawled up Lydia's spine, cold sweat forming on her back, but she fought to stay calm, refusing to show even a hint of fear. In a steady voice, she said, "You won't do it. No matter how powerful you are, you're still just a student. If you hurt me, I'll report you, and you wouldn't want to break the law over someone as insignificant as me, would you?" Her words were firm.

Lila Yu's laughter abruptly stopped, her face contorting in rage. "How dare you threaten me? You're out of your mind!" she screamed, raising her hand to slap Lydia, but her wrist was caught mid-air.

Simultaneously, Lydia summoned the last of her strength to grasp Lila's wrist, her voice unwavering. "I may have wronged Aaron King, but that doesn't give anyone the right to hit me. And someday, he will forgive me. I… will not… leave… Sakura." Her words were clear and powerful, her gaze unwavering despite her exhaustion.

For a moment, Lila Yu was stunned by the intensity of Lydia's gaze, but her pride wouldn't allow her to back down. "You're asking for it!" she shouted, roughly yanking her hand away. Lydia, weakened, began to fall backward, bracing herself for the impact, but instead of pain, she felt herself being caught in a warm embrace.

The scent of pine trees and fresh air filled her senses, and Lydia felt a strange sense of peace. The once arrogant girls now cowered behind Lila Yu, who quickly extinguished her cigarette, avoiding eye contact.

Julian Reed held the pale and trembling Lydia Moore in his arms, his heart breaking at the thought of what could have happened if he had arrived just a moment later. Cold fury burned in his eyes as he spoke, "Is this how you treat your fellow students? This school doesn't belong to Aaron King alone. I don't want to see this happen again." His voice was low, but it carried an undeniable authority, making the girls tremble in fear.

Despite her resentment, Lila Yu knew she couldn't challenge Julian Reed's authority. She muttered a reluctant "Sorry" before leading the other girls away. "Thank you… Julian," Lydia whispered, her voice barely audible before she succumbed to exhaustion, her eyes closing heavily.

Just before she lost consciousness, Lydia thought she saw a tall, lonely figure at the far end of the rooftop. The figure turned away and quietly disappeared down the stairs, like a wisp of fog dissolving into the night.