Seeing that Tiffany wasn't having the meltdown they expected, Mr. and Mrs. Kelley breathed a sigh of relief.

"We're glad you're not upset with us," Thalia said.

Reality was harsh. The Harpers were too powerful to cross, so they had to swallow this bitter pill.

Tiffany smiled softly. "How could I be?"

Far from being angry, she was actually looking forward to what might happen next. Kenneth's dream girl had originally prompted him to throw Tiffany under the bus; this time, she wouldn't make the same mistake. But even Tiffany couldn't predict how things would unfold.

Lost in thought, she didn't hear Thalia calling her name until Thalia waved a hand in front of her face.

"What's got you so distracted? I've asked you twice now."

"Oh, sorry. What did you say, Mom?" Tiffany responded, still a bit disoriented.

"I was asking if anyone from the Harper family gave you trouble in the garden earlier," Thalia clarified.

Her mother's question reminded Tiffany of what had happened in the storage closet: Richard's strikingly handsome face, those deep, dark eyes, and the way he looked down at her with a hint of a smile. "Oh no. Why couldn't I shake these images from my head?" Tiffany panicked.

She discreetly pinched herself before answering her parents' questioning looks. "No trouble at all. Actually, I caught quite an interesting show"

Thankfully, her parents weren't the type to pry, so they dropped the subject.

News of the Kelleys' attempt to break off the engagement leaked, despite their efforts to keep it quiet. Lovell City wasn't large, and its high society was even smaller. The story spread like wildfire, twisting with each retelling. By the time it circulated, the truth—that the Kelleys wanted out and the Harpers were stalling—had morphed into something entirely different. Now, people claimed the Harpers wanted to end things, but that Tiffany was desperately clinging to the engagement.

The backlash was immediate and intense.

"That Tiffany Kelley is so shameless! The Harpers want to break it off, and she's threatening to kill herself if they do!" someone groaned.

"I feel so bad for Kenneth. Getting stuck with a girl like that? Talk about the worst luck ever!" another commented.

When Tiffany went to school on Monday, these whispers followed her everywhere. She'd always been an outsider, but now she was Public Enemy Number One.

Yet, Tiffany couldn't care less. She went about her day as usual, seemingly unaffected by the drama.

Upon hearing the rumors, Kenneth initially considered setting the record straight. But remembering Tiffany's cold shoulder, he decided it wasn't worth the effort. He was just as confused about why the engagement hadn't been called off. The night before, his parents had even lectured him about being nicer to Tiffany, hinting that they were determined for the marriage to happen.

The more people talked, the more Kenneth resented being pushed into a corner. He wanted to rebel. He decided he'd only intervene if Tiffany asked for help.

Three days passed, and Tiffany never reached out. His silence was taken as tacit approval. This emboldened others to target Tiffany, all claiming to defend Kenneth's honor.

That day at lunch, Tiffany was returning her tray when a long-haired girl deliberately bumped into her, spilling greasy soup all over her legs. Laughter erupted, and someone gave the girl a thumbs-up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the girl said, her voice dripping with mock sincerity.

She attempted to leave, but Tiffany grabbed her arm.

"I already apologized. What more do you want?" the girl snapped, trying to pull away.

Tiffany chuckled, then firmly dragged the girl to the trash bin, flipping her headfirst into it. The bin overflowed with rotting food scraps, greasy napkins, and vegetable peels, emitting a nauseating stench far worse than the spilled soup. Amidst the shocked silence, Tiffany offered an apologetic smile. "Oops, my hand slipped."

Another challenge followed. That afternoon, Tiffany found a snake in her desk, its tongue flicking menacingly. Most would have panicked, but Tiffany calmly reached in and plucked out its fangs with her bare hands. She didn't flinch. Everyone's jaws dropped. She casually tossed the snake aside.

Chaos erupted. Amidst the pandemonium, Tiffany sat serenely at her desk.

Once the room settled, Tiffany walked to the front of the class. Her eyes swept over her classmates, and she let out a disdainful laugh.

"Let me be clear," she said, her voice steady and bold. "You're all cowards. If anyone wants to play games, I'm ready. But if you can't handle it, remember to show some respect when you see me."

Stunned silence fell. Tiffany's audacity was unprecedented, and no one dared to argue.

Despite their attempts to undermine her, Tiffany hadn't faltered. She'd proven she could handle anything, teaching them a lesson in the process. No one else challenged her. Her fierce resolve ended their petty schemes, and even the rumors began to die down.

Kenneth watched, expecting tears and pleas for help, but Tiffany hadn't shed a single tear. She'd handled everything alone, leaving Kenneth at a loss. Everything he thought he knew about her was being turned on its head.

Just as he was processing this, the dorm assignments were posted. He was assigned to share a dorm with Tiffany.

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