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Chapter 74  Chapter 74  Aria’s face was full of frustration “Of course, it was because she came looking for trouble! I wasn’t even planning to deal with her, but then she and her little sidekick started showing off in front of me.”  Aria’s face was full of frustration “ Of course , it was because she came looking for trouble ! I wasn’t even planning to deal with her , but then she and her little sidekick started showing off in front of me . ”  “What exactly did she say to show oft?” I asked.  “ What exactly did she say to show oft ? ” I asked .  The more I pressed, the more uncomfortable Alicia looked.  The more I pressed , the more uncomfortable Alicia looked .  She knew perfectly well–Aria was impulsive. Say the right thing to provoke her, and she’d snap without thinking twice, too fired up to defend herself properly. But with me here, there was no way I was letting that happen.  She knew perfectly well – Aria was impulsive . Say the right thing to provoke her , and she’d snap without thinking twice , too fired up to defend herself properly . But with me here , there was no way I was letting that happen .  “Forget it. I don’t want to make this worse,” Alicia suddenly said, stepping forward. The red handprint on her face stood out starkly, and her eyes were rimmed with tears, painting the perfect picture of victimhood.  “ Forget it . I don’t want to make this worse , ” Alicia suddenly said , stepping forward . The red handprint on her face stood out starkly , and her eyes were rimmed with tears , painting the perfect picture of victimhood .  “Elise, I know you’ve never liked me, but this has nothing to do with you. Please don’t get involved — it’ll just make things harder for Jonathan.”  “ Elise , I know you’ve never liked me , but this has nothing to do with you . Please don’t get involved — it’ll just make things harder for Jonathan . ”  I raised a brow. “Oh? Now you’re saying it has nothing to do with me? Because just a few minutes ago, you were swearing up and down that Aria attacked you for my sake.”  I raised a brow . “ Oh ? Now you’re saying it has nothing to do with me ? Because just a few minutes ago , you were swearing up and down that Aria attacked you for my sake . ”  Alicia’s eves thickered, then she shifted tactics. “I just want all this to blow over. Why are you so caught up in every little thing I say? You know deep down why Aria did it. And I’m already trying to be the bigger person—why keep pushing this?”  Alicia’s eves thickered , then she shifted tactics . “ I just want all this to blow over . Why are you so caught up in every little thing I say ? You know deep down why Aria did it . And I’m already trying to be the bigger person — why keep pushing this ? ” 

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Right. And now I was the one being aggressive.  Right . And now I was the one being aggressive .  1 kept my voice calm. “You’re making yourself out to be the picture of grace under pressure. So, of course, I have to help you clear things up, right? It’s only fair that we find out exactly what happened.”  1 kept my voice calm . “ You’re making yourself out to be the picture of grace under pressure . So , of course , I have to help you clear things up , right ? It’s only fair that we find out exactly what happened . ”  Aria finally caught on to what I was doing and jumped in. “Yeah, why don’t you tell everyone why I really went after you?”  Aria finally caught on to what I was doing and jumped in . “ Yeah , why don’t you tell everyone why I really went after you ? ” 

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Alicia’s expression shifted again, a flash of guilt flickering across her face. But she straightened up and said righteously, “It doesn’t matter what was said. Violence is never the answer. I didn’t want to make a scene, that’s why I kept quiet,”  Alicia’s expression shifted again , a flash of guilt flickering across her face . But she straightened up and said righteously , “ It doesn’t matter what was said . Violence is never the answer . I didn’t want to make a scene , that’s why I kept quiet , ”  Then she took it a step further, voice dripping with moral high ground. “If we really want to get technical, Aria is at fault. But I didn’t want anyone thinking I was using my status to bully her.”  Then she took it a step further , voice dripping with moral high ground . “ If we really want to get technical , Aria is at fault . But I didn’t want anyone thinking I was using my status to bully her . ”  Aria tumed pale with rage, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles tumed white. She lunged forward again, ready to go another round.  Aria tumed pale with rage , her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles tumed white . She lunged forward again , ready to go another round .  I quickly stepped in and held her back, and Frederick shot her a cold, scolding look. “Idiot.”  I quickly stepped in and held her back , and Frederick shot her a cold , scolding look . “ Idiot . ”  “You’re calling me an idiot now?” Aria snapped back, her voice cracking.  “ You’re calling me an idiot now ? ” Aria snapped back , her voice cracking .  Already on edge, she looked like she was about to cry. But she bit it back, refusing to show weakness.  Already on edge , she looked like she was about to cry . But she bit it back , refusing to show weakness .  Frederick’s expression softened for a second, clearly tom. Before anything else could be said, Alicia chimed in again.  Frederick’s expression softened for a second , clearly tom . Before anything else could be said , Alicia chimed in again .  “As long as she apologizes, we can just move on.”  “ As long as she apologizes , we can just move on . ”  “I’d rather die than apologize to you!” Aria shouted.  “ I’d rather die than apologize to you ! ” Aria shouted .  Edward’s face was already like stone, but that sent it over the edge. He shot me a freezing glare before turning to Aria.  Edward’s face was already like stone , but that sent it over the edge . He shot me a freezing glare before turning to Aria .  “Alicia is right,” he said sharply. “You laid hands on her first. No matter your reasons, that kind of behavior is unacceptable!”  “ Alicia is right , ” he said sharply . “ You laid hands on her first . No matter your reasons , that kind of behavior is unacceptable ! ”  “I agree,” I said, tuming to him calmly and steadily. “You’re absolutely right. There’s no excuse for violence. Which is why I’m even more curious–what on earth did Alicia say that pushed her to that point?”  “ I agree , ” I said , tuming to him calmly and steadily . “ You’re absolutely right . There’s no excuse for violence . Which is why I’m even more curious – what on earth did Alicia say that pushed her to that point ? ”  Edward narrowed his eyes but didn’t speak For a moment, the room was thick with silence.  Edward narrowed his eyes but didn’t speak For a moment , the room was thick with silence .  Even Alicia didn’t say a word, her lips pressed together tightly.  Even Alicia didn’t say a word , her lips pressed together tightly .  I turned back to Aria. “Don’t worry about it. Just tell us exactly what happened. Everything. No holding back.”  I turned back to Aria . “ Don’t worry about it . Just tell us exactly what happened . Everything . No holding back . ”   

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