Chapter 979:

Before he could respond, Fiona spun around and ran off, tears streaming down her cheeks. Quinn stood frozen for a moment, then chased after her, his heart pounding. Elyse watched them go, her lips curling into a bitter smile. “Running away from the truth… just like I thought.” The tension seemed to fade once they left, but it didn’t last long. Later that afternoon, Elyse was summoned to the instructor’s office. When she walked in, she wasn’t surprised to see Quinn already there, his face dark with frustration.

Sighing, she stepped forward. “Why did you call me in?”

The instructor took a slow sip from his cup before speaking. “Quinn claims you’ve been acting arrogant and disrespectful in your group. Is there any truth to that?”

Elyse glanced at Quinn, her eyes narrowing. So, he ran to the instructor now? He was truly set on defending Fiona. She shook her head. “No, it’s not true. He thinks I’m arrogant, but I’ve barely said a word to him.”

She spoke with calm confidence, knowing she had witnesses to back her up.

Quinn’s face tightened with anger. “She manipulates people. She makes friends with the powerful and walks all over anyone who isn’t strong enough to stand up to her.”

Elyse raised her eyebrows at his accusation. “So, you’re saying I bully you because you’re weaker? Tell me then, how exactly did I bully you? Did I hit you? Yell at you? Or is this just because I’m not buying Fiona’s lies and you’re offended?”

Her words were sharp, cutting through his flimsy argument. Elyse knew Quinn wouldn’t be able to outargue her—everything Fiona had told him was twisted. No matter how hard Quinn tried to defend her, it was pointless; her story was riddled with inconsistencies. If he could just step away from his emotions for a moment, he’d see the lies glaring back at him.

But that wasn’t Elyse’s concern. She wasn’t about to shoulder the burden of showing him the truth. Fiona’s deception wasn’t her responsibility. The truth always hits harder when it comes unexpectedly.

Quinn stood there, utterly speechless. Elyse’s words had left him frozen in place, unable to respond. The instructor sighed heavily, placing his cup down. “The tour starts in just a few days, and instead of focusing on your training, you’re caught up in personal drama. It’s embarrassing.”

Quinn lowered his head, shame coloring his cheeks.

Elyse, however, remained composed. She had been focused on training; it was Quinn who had stirred things up with his misplaced loyalty.

“Alright,” the instructor continued. “This is a misunderstanding. Resolve it yourselves. I’m not your babysitter. You’re adults now, so act like it.”

Elyse nodded firmly. “Understood. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”

With that, she left the office, stepping out into the hallway. Quinn followed her, shutting the door behind him. His gaze fixed on Elyse, his eyes still burning with resentment.