Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Final Performance

Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Final Performance

"Remember, this is just a little warning. There's more where that came from. Let's go," one of the girls sneered, pushing her companion as they arrogantly strutted away, the sound of the water bucket rolling down the stairs echoing behind them, mocking Lydia Moore's earlier humiliation. Biting her pale, trembling lip, Lydia lifted her head and walked toward the dormitory.

By the window, Elena Rivers was quietly trimming her bonsai when the door opened behind her. She instinctively turned around, only to see Lydia Moore completely drenched from head to toe. Her concern instantly turned to fury. "Who did this?" Elena's voice, usually so calm, now brimmed with barely controlled anger. She had witnessed everything that had happened in the classroom earlier. Several times, she had wanted to intervene, but knowing that Lydia didn't want to escalate tensions with her classmates, she had held back. However, if this continued, Lydia's health would undoubtedly suffer.

"Do you think enduring this will make them stop?" Elena almost shouted, her voice laced with frustration. "Where's the Lydia Moore who told me to be strong and brave? All I see now is a coward." Her words came out harsher than she intended, and even Elena herself was surprised by the intensity of her reaction. It was then she realized that over the past two months, she had come to see Lydia as her only true friend at Sakura Academy.

"Thank you for caring, but please, Elena, promise me you won't get involved in this," Lydia said softly, her words leaving Elena speechless. Lydia continued, "I know you hate anything to do with the underworld, and if you confronted those people on my behalf, they'd only back down because of the Kingston Group's connections to the criminal world. That's not something you would want to see." Lydia's reasoning was irrefutable. "Besides, this whole situation is partly my fault. Given Aaron King's personality, it's only natural that he wants to punish me. If it helps him cool down, I don't mind. But I promise you, I won't give up on what I believe in."

Even now, Lydia's eyes still shone with a calm and reassuring light. Elena fell silent, then quietly handed her a large towel.

"Thank you," Lydia whispered as she took the towel and wrapped it around herself, forcing a weak smile. "Don't worry about me. I grew up in the north, so I can handle the cold. A hot bath will make me feel better." Despite her brave words, she shivered involuntarily. "I… I'll go take a shower now." With that, Lydia quickly made her way to the bathroom, the smile fading from her face as soon as she turned around, revealing the nearly transparent pallor of her exhaustion.

By afternoon, the sky had turned from a pale white to a dull gray. After a strong gust of wind, the first rain of the winter season began to fall. Pedestrians hurried to find shelter, many of them stepping into a cozy, warmly decorated bakery along the street. The rainwater washed over the cobblestone paths, and the birds of paradise in the garden slowly drooped their heads as everything grew silent under the steady downpour.

Inside the "Fairy Bakery," however, it was a different story. No matter the season or weather, "Fairy Bakery" was always a little paradise that brought laughter and happiness to its visitors. Here, there were no worries or troubles—only the purest smiles of joy.

The plump couple who owned the bakery greeted every customer with warm smiles, occasionally sharing loving glances that radiated a deep affection. A girl in a light green uniform carried trays of pastries to the tables, stopping every so often to chat with customers or make funny faces to entertain the children. Everything seemed as it always had been, but there was an inexplicable sense that something was missing. The flashy red sports car that used to be parked in front of the bakery had long since disappeared from view.

The bare trees along the street dripped with rain, and the entire road was bathed in the soft patter of the winter drizzle. The cold air bit into the skin of passersby as they hurried along with their heads down, oblivious to the white sports car that had been parked by the curb for quite some time.

The windshield wipers swished back and forth, clearing the rain from the glass. Inside the car, Aaron King sat in cold silence, his eyes fixed on the bakery where Lydia Moore's face shone with a radiant smile. His brows furrowed slightly. Why was there not the slightest sign of distress on her face? Could she really be indifferent to everything that had happened recently? Or was it that, to her, he was nothing more than a trivial presence? Did she not care at all about his anger or his childish acts of revenge?

If that were the case, why had he come here? What was the point of caring about someone who seemed so unconcerned about him? His heart ached with a pain he couldn't understand, a chilling sensation spreading through his body. Aaron King started the engine with a fierce determination, driving away without a backward glance. Once, this place had made him believe in happiness. The memories of their laughter and playful moments still felt so vivid. But now, everything had changed. He didn't want to believe in her anymore; he wouldn't believe in anyone. It had all been an illusion, a cruel mirage.

The shops, trees, and cars along the street remained still as the rain continued to fall, and the white sports car slowly disappeared into the misty distance, as if it had never been there at all.

As the weather grew colder, the campaign to drive Lydia Moore out of Sakura Academy intensified. For an entire week, no one dared to offer her any help. Aside from the students who openly tormented her, everyone else avoided her as if she were cursed, afraid to be associated with her in any way. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened at Sakura. In the past, students who had angered Aaron King often couldn't withstand the relentless bullying and would drop out of school within days.

But Lydia Moore was different. Despite facing insurmountable challenges and being utterly isolated, she refused to give up. She had no intention of leaving Sakura, and this only fueled the determination of those who wanted her gone. They constantly devised new ways to torment and harass her.

Lydia Moore had lost count of the number of different methods they had used to bully her—each more frightening than the last. Every day, she faced a series of unexpected ordeals. Her desk and books were often thrown out of the classroom, and she frequently received anonymous threats. Even her meals were not safe; it wasn't uncommon for her to find various insects, some harmless and some not, in her food. On one occasion, she was locked in the bathroom for four hours until Elena Rivers found her and let her out.

Though Lydia repeatedly told herself that she couldn't let herself break, she sometimes doubted how much longer she could hold on. Would this nightmare ever end? How long would it take for Aaron King to finally forgive her?

A bitter east wind swept up the fallen leaves, sending them skittering along the ground like they were trying to escape the cold. Lydia Moore coughed softly as she made her way to the classroom building, her face unnaturally pale despite the thick coat she wore.