Chapter 17

“Besides, Rissa has many jewels. Why would she break your crystal locket on purpose? Alaricka, this must be a misunderstanding.” She was being subtle and sounded understanding. But if one paid attention, mockery was plain in her remark. Clarissa was from a rich family. Why would she be interested in such a worthless item? Only Alaricka would value it. It was nothing to Clarissa. The onlookers couldn’t help laughing.

Alarieka looked Kieran in the eye. He happened to be staring at her. So far, he hadn’t said a word. Did he agree with other people’s opinions?

“How ironic,” Alarieka thought bitterly. These people were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They wouldn’t understand.

Just then, the principal came over and said significantly, “Alarieka, you hit Clarissa first. Apologize now.” The principal had been watching. He knew what to do. It was widely known that the Argent family took Alarieka in, but they apparently were biased in Clarissa’s favor. To them, what really happened didn’t matter. Alaricka had to apologize.

Tamika was furious. “Alaricka! How dare you attack Ms. Argent! Apologize immediately!”

Kieran gave the ultimatum. “Alaricka, apologize!” His eyes didn’t show a trace of warmth. “Or leave the Argent family for good!”

The onlookers stirred. Was he kicking Alarieka out of the house?

Alarieka ignored other people’s comments. She just stared silently at the broken crystal locket in her hand.

“You rich people won’t understand. Yes, you can easily buy something much nicer than this one. But my dad spent a year’s savings on this locket. He gave it to me for my birthday before he died. It’s the only connection between him and me.”

Tamika’s nervous, angry face froze. She was flustered. “Alarieka, why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

Alaricka didn’t know the look on Kieran’s face or other people’s reaction. She didn’t wanna know because she didn’t care.

Clutching the crystal locket, she looked up at the principal. “I won’t apologize. I did nothing wrong. There’s a camera in the classroom. Check the camera footage. It’ll tell you everything,” she said calmly.

The principal hesitated.

Clarissa panicked. She ran into Roschelle’s arms and wept. “Why? She beat me up. All I ask is an apology. Is it so hard? Rose, I’m in a lot of pain.”

Roschelle stroked her shoulders, very much concerned. She turned around, looked at Kieran, and said hesitantly in a soft voice, “Kier.”

The principal scowled when he saw how sad Clarissa was. “I don’t have to check the camera footage. The wounds on Clarissa’s body are evidence. How can you deny it?”

The onlookers also voiced their opinions. “We all saw it. Clarissa only wanted to talk with Alarieka. But Alarieka attacked her like a lunatic. We couldn’t stop her.”

“Right. Everybody knows what a weasel Alarieka is. Drop the act already.”

Roschelle pressed her lips together with a baffled expression. Patting Clarissa gently on the shoulder, she said, “Alaricka, we only want an apology. That’s all.”

Tamika looked left and right, at a loss for what to do. When she saw Kieran’s darkening face, her heart skipped a beat. She grabbed Alaricka’s wrist and demanded, “Alaricka, apologize, now! Do you wanna be kicked out of the house? It’s just a locket. I’ll buy a new one for you, OK? Now, apologize.”

Alaricka took a deep breath and shook Tamika’s hand off. Then, she turned to Kieran and fixed her eyes on him. In this lifetime, she wouldn’t let anyone sling mud at her.

“Why won’t you check the camera footage? Is it too hard for you?”

Chapter 18