Chapter 7 Chapter 006 - When Did Their Animosity Begin?
Cindy huffed while her eyes followed Ethan and Hazel’s departing figure.
After that, she looked at Moriah; her harsh expression softened when her gaze settled upon Moriah.
“Are you okay?” She sat beside her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Moriah chuckled; she wouldn't allow herself to be ruffled by what had just transpired.
She told herself at the onset not to expect anything good from Ethan since he was her sworn enemy.
Denver was puzzled to see that Cindy gave Moriah a sympathetic gaze; thus, he couldn’t hold back and asked with worry, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, let’s eat. I’m starving to death,” Moriah said and began digging in.
Denver started digging and asked no further, lest Moriah might think he was sticking his nose in her stuff.
While eating, Moriah was lost in her thoughts. She was wondering what her father saw in Ethan that he was willing to marry her to him.
Her father once told her that he wasn’t a person who would compromise her happiness.
Did her father see Ethan as the person who could give her happiness?
She always trusted her father’s judgment; however, this time, she doubted his judgment.
“Hey,” Denver waved his hand near Moriah's face to draw her attention.
Moriah was interrupted from her deep thoughts and said, “What is it? Are you saying something?”
“Cindy was asking if you have bought the gown for tomorrow’s black tie event." Denver responded that he was unsettled to see Moriah being inattentive.
“I haven't," Moriah answered with a frown.
Following lunch, Moriah returned to her office. She had the time to wallow in pain since there were no patients.
A feeling of despair infiltrated her heart.
If Shaun had just manned up and called the wedding off before that day, she wouldn't be caught up in this loveless marriage.
While thinking, her mind drifted back to the day she met Shaun, her ex-fiancé, and his best friend, Ethan, her sworn enemy.
It was her first day of school, and her dad dropped her off at school. She hugged her dad before going out of the car.
"I'll come get you after school," Jianyu said as he gently tapped Moriah's head.
“I love you, Baba," said Moriah.
“I love you too,” Jianyu said, looking tenderly at his daughter.
Moriah smiled and waved her hand before turning.
Moving to the entrance of the school, Moriah felt that someone was intensely looking at her.
She looked around but couldn't find who it was.
When she was inside the campus. Someone bumped into her.
"Oops, I am sorry," she heard a male voice, but did not look at him, as her focus was to pick up her books scattered on the floor.
He helped her to pick her book, but she didn't lift her head to look at him.
After she picked up her books, she walked, not even sparing a glance to the person she bumped into, and strode towards her class like she was walking on the clouds.
She was delighted that she was able to attend the school of her dreams.
Occupied as she was, taking in her surroundings, she didn’t notice a student coming her way.
Bumping her forehead against something hard made her feel slightly dizzy and see stars.
Caressing her forehead, she looked up.
She was fascinated to see the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen blink two times, doubting that she was just hallucinating.
The student looked at her with his icy cold gaze.
“Use your eyes,” he said coldly.
It was then that she concluded that what she saw was real, not a figment of her imagination.
She looked at him again, just like she was hypnotized by his handsome face.
“Are you done checking on me?” Ethan arrogantly asked and left her.
Moriah shook her head and erased his image that lingered in her mind. She shouldn’t be attracted to an arrogant person like him.
Since then, she's told herself she doesn't like him.
She checked her watch, and she’s got an hour before her class.
Thus, she decided to get a quick tour before going to her class.
Elated, Moriah gleefully walked around the campus.
However, the happiness she felt was cut short when she was tripped by somebody. She fell on her knees, and her skirts went up, exposing her.
Thankfully, her mom told her to wear cycling shorts.
She heard girls giggling while she put down her skirt that went up to her waist.
“Hey, are you okay?” a student asked her and extended his hand to help her stand up.
She held his hand and rose to her feet and said, “Thank you.”
He frowned and said to her, “Your knees are bleeding; let me take you to the clinic." Holding her hand, he led her to the clinic.
“By the way, I’m Shaun Stanton. And you are?" He introduced himself while they were on their way to the clinic.
“I’m Moriah Chen,” Moriah shyly said, her face turned bright red.
Moriah noticed Shaun's hazel eyes were like those shining stars in the night, and it made her heart dance.
He wasn’t as handsome as the arrogant student she met a while ago, she thought.
Nevertheless, his gentleness made him more attractive, and she liked him.
After her wound was treated in the school clinic, Shaun accompanied her to her class and asked about her last class.
Coming out of her last class, Moriah was surprised to see Shaun waiting in the corridor.
“Hi,” Shaun greeted her, flashing his perfect pearly white teeth and his dimples, which made Moriah’s heart jump.
“Hi,” she timidly responded to Shaun.
Moriah caught sight of Ethan standing a couple yards from them, looking coldly at her with his arms folded on his chest.
Irritated by Ethan's arrogance, she completely ignored him and gave Shaun her undivided attention.
Walking with Shaun, she was unaware of the jealous eyes around her and that they were casting poignant stares at her.
If the looks they were giving her could kill, Moriah would be dead by now.
As a newcomer in the school, she had no idea that Shaun was one of the campus heartthrobs next to Ethan.
The next day, at school, Moriah was stopped by four girls en route to the locker room to pick up her book.
She tried to walk past them, but she was stopped by a girl by yanking her hair. She tried to break free, but the other girls came to help the girl pulling her hair.
“So, this is the beauty that has been sung by most of the boys on the campus?” A voice came; Moriah looked up and saw a blond girl with a figure and face like a model.
She recognized the student beside her, the arrogant person she met yesterday. He laid his back on the wall and crossed his arms over his shoulder while looking coldly at her.
“Let me see your face, if you’re truly a beauty as they said. " Shirley held her jaw with her hand; after that, she took a small scalpel from her bag and brought it near her face.
Moriah shuddered and closed her eyes, expecting the pain, but heard a voice, “Hey! Stop that!”
She was pushed back and laid on the floor; she didn't know how much time went by before she heard a voice: “Moriah, are you okay?”
Upon opening her eyes, her eyes collided with Shaun’s hazel eyes full of concern. Shaun pulled her up and embraced her.
Moriah couldn’t hold back her tears and sobbed on Shaun’s chest.
Beginning that day, she liked Shaun and disliked Ethan.
Although Ethan is Shaun's best friend, her aversion to Ethan has evolved into hate.
Ethan's girlfriend, Shirley, always bullied her, and he never did stop her from bullying her despite the fact that she was Shaun’s girlfriend.
She was even criticized by Ethan upon learning that she was in accelerated education and a bookworm, calling her a nerd.
He didn't like her being smart because he surrounds himself with beautiful brainless girls.
A bookworm and a nerd she was, she wasn't accepted in Shaun's circle of friends.
Ethan also persuaded Shaun that Moriah was not the right woman for him and that there are better women out there.
Each time she met his cold eyes, hostility blazed in her eyes. Every single day they met, her enmity deepened.
There was not a time that Moriah didn't feel loathing when she saw Ethan.