Chapter 188 Unwillingness and Jealousy Grow Wildly
Dominic was having such a great time chatting with the classmates around him that he didn't notice the awkward atmosphere between Cordelia and Herschel.
Cordelia found a moment to go to the restroom to calm herself down.
Outside the restroom entrance, quite a few people were gathered together smoking.
Cordelia had a gentle and dignified appearance, and as she passed by, many people's eyes focused on her.
Some even whistled at Cordelia and flirted with her.
"Hey lady, all alone?"
"Interested in having a drink?"
Cordelia remained silent and walked straight into the restroom.
The man nudged his friend with his elbow, laughed mockingly, then followed Cordelia to the restroom entrance.
"Hey lady, I'll wait for you at the door."
Cordelia frowned, her eyes showing slight disgust.
She was washing her hands and sending a message to Evelyn asking about this matter when Fiona walked in from outside.
"Ms. Stone, hearing that Herschel got expelled in 12th grade and still being so calm about it - you really are heartless. You ruined someone's life, how can you act so entitled about it?"
Cordelia frowned slightly and quietly looked up at the mirror to see Fiona behind her..
"What about you?"
"Were you expelled back then too?"
Fiona paused, clearly not expecting Cordelia to ask this.
She frowned, looking at Cordelia, and said coldly.
"The Murphy family has status in Shadowpine. Your sister naturally didn't dare offend the Murphy family back then, so she only bullied Herschel who had no background."
Cordelia looked at Fiona quietly.
Fiona took a deep breath and looked at Cordelia coldly.
"Cordelia, you know what I hate most about you? You always act so superior, like you expect everyone to please you."
Thinking of how Herschel looked at Cordelia earlier made her very uncomfortable.
Herschel's life had been ruined by Cordelia, yet when he saw Cordelia, he still acted like he was trying to please her.
They had already planned to put something in the water to drug Cordelia, and while Dominic was drunk, set up Cordelia to let her taste what it's like to be disgraced.
But unexpectedly, Herschel had softened.
Cordelia frowned, "I've never wanted you to please me. Ms. Murphy, are you so used to bowing and scraping that when someone stands up straight, they're in the wrong?"
Fiona sneered, "In front of Herschel, can you still stand up straight?"
Cordelia fell silent.
Fiona was satisfied with Cordelia's reaction. She lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, then blew the smoke rudely at Cordelia.
"Want me to suggest a way to make it up to Herschel?"
Cordelia didn't answer. Her phone chimed with a notification, and she looked down at the screen.
Fiona continued, "Herschel likes you, and has for many years. Before, because of Dominic, he never dared pursue you. Now you've been married and divorced, Herschel definitely won't mind."
"If you get together with him, it satisfies his unfulfilled desire for you, and you make up for the mistake you made."
Cordelia's eyes remained on her phone.
Evelyn had sent a message: [The Murphy family said some guy wanted to take advantage of you, so they got you drunk. To show their sincerity, they'll give the Stone family a satisfactory result, so the Murphy family handled everything. What's wrong?]
Cordelia stared at this message for a long time.
She remembered now - Fiona had hosted that party. Everyone was playing games at the drinking session. She was already in a bad mood and didn't want to participate, but Fiona pulled Cordelia in, telling her not to spoil the fun.
During the game, she didn't know the rules, so she kept getting targeted by Fiona and her friends.
Herschel and Dominic helped her drink quite a bit, but she couldn't hold her liquor and got completely drunk, even having an allergic reaction to the alcohol.
Dominic and Herschel took her to the hospital together.
When she was hospitalized, Evelyn naturally demanded an explanation. The Murphy family didn't dare offend the Stone family and couldn't admit that Fiona had deliberately gotten Cordelia drunk to humiliate her, so they had to find a scapegoat.
Cordelia looked up at Fiona.
"How did you make it up to him?"
Fiona was confused, "What?"
Cordelia sneered, "I'm asking how you made it up to Herschel. Using the method you just mentioned?"
Fiona bit her lip, panic flashing in her eyes, then she became angry from embarrassment, "What are you talking about?"
Cordelia smiled faintly, "Back then, the Murphy family handled everything. Herschel's expulsion was also the Murphy family's doing. Fiona, why did you say Herschel had bad intentions toward me?"
Fiona's face went pale.
Cordelia frowned at her, "Why?"
Fiona bit her lip. So many years had passed, she naturally wouldn't admit what she had said back then.
"Cordelia, are you crazy? Herschel was expelled because you got drunk and had an allergic reaction and were hospitalized. What does that have to do with me? You're the one to blame. Are you trying to turn this around and push the responsibility onto me?"
Cordelia looked at Fiona with an expression that showed she had seen right through her.
Fiona had seen Cordelia show guilt in front of Herschel earlier, so she came over to provoke Cordelia further, to give her another push.
She didn't expect Cordelia's attitude to change so quickly.
The guilt she showed in front of Herschel was completely gone, and instead she was arguing back clearly and sharply.
"Cordelia, you're such a good actress!"
"There are no men here, so you're showing your true colors. You actually don't feel any guilt about Herschel being expelled. You just pretended not to know to win Herschel's favor."
"Actually, you knew everything!"
Cordelia calmly pulled out a tissue to wipe the water from her hands, "Ms. Murphy, do you like Dominic or do you like Herschel?"
After interacting with Fiona more, Cordelia naturally remembered many things about her.
She knew Fiona liked Dominic. During their teenage years, no one could perfectly hide their feelings.
So Cordelia could sense Fiona's hostility toward her.
Whenever she appeared with Dominic, Fiona's expression was always unpleasant.
She had always thought of Dominic as a brother, and Fiona wasn't ugly, so Cordelia cooperated and would create opportunities for her and Dominic.
So when everyone got together, Cordelia would try to talk with Herschel, whom she knew, and not cling to Dominic.
But when Fiona saw her talking with Herschel, she would also show dissatisfaction, and even directly mock Herschel.
This happened more than once or twice.
Cordelia didn't understand it back then, but thinking back now, she got it.
"You both like Dominic and treat Herschel as your possession, right?"
Fiona was hit where it hurt and bit down hard.
Before Cordelia entered middle school, she, Herschel, and Dominic had the best relationship.
Herschel and Dominic were both very caring toward her.
But after Cordelia entered middle school, everything changed.
She could understand Dominic changing, after all, he and Cordelia were childhood friends, but she didn't expect Herschel to change too.
Every time she saw Herschel stealing glances at Cordelia with that look of first love, she couldn't stand it.
Eventually, jealousy and resentment grew wildly within her.