Chapter 150 *
Zelda's POV
One of my Gilded Delta sisters walked over. Her name was Giselle. She put her hand on my shoulder.
"Zel, is everything okay?"
I let my expression shift to concern. "I'm just worried about my sister."
Scarlett was staring at me. Her eyes were cold. I'd seen that look before. Right before she'd slapped me in the jewelry store.
"You know what's funny, Zelda?" Scarlett's voice cut through the murmuring crowd. "You care so much about other people's family arrangements."
My stomach dropped.
No. She wouldn't.
"I mean, families are complicated, right?" Scarlett tilted her head. "Some people are born into them. Some people are... brought into them later."
The blood drained from my face.
She was going there.
"What are you talking about?" My voice came out too high.
"Just that blood relationships aren't always what they seem." Scarlett's tone stayed light. "Sometimes the people who act the most entitled to a family name are the ones with the least claim to it."
The crowd had gone completely silent.
Paloma shifted uncomfortably beside me. "Zel, what is she talking about?"
"Nothing." I tried to keep my voice steady. "She's just trying to deflect."
"Am I?" Scarlett smiled. "Or am I just pointing out that maybe you should check your own paperwork before questioning other people's relationships?"
My hands were shaking. I clenched them into fists to hide it.
If she said it out loud right now, in front of all these people, my entire life would collapse.
The Romano princess image I'd spent years building would shatter in seconds.
"I don't know what you're implying." My voice was barely above a whisper.
"Don't you?" Scarlett's eyes locked onto mine. "I think you know exactly what I'm saying. The question is whether you want me to say it more clearly."
The threat hung in the air between us.
A few people in the crowd looked confused. Others looked curious. Someone pulled out their phone.
My face went hot. "You can't talk to me like that."
"Why not?" Scarlett's voice stayed level. "You started this conversation. I'm just finishing it."
Lily stepped forward. She was standing right beside Scarlett now. "Maybe you should go, Zelda."
"Excuse me?" I turned to her. "Who the hell are you?"
"Someone who actually cares about Scarlett." Lily's voice was steady. "Which is more than I can say for you."
The crowd was getting bigger. I could feel it pressing in around us.
This wasn't going the way I'd planned.
A football player pushed through the circle. I recognized him from one of the parties. His name was Brett.
"Yo." He stepped up beside me. "You can't talk to Zelda like that."
Lily didn't back down. "I can talk to whoever I want however I want."
"That's not how it works here." Brett crossed his arms. "Zelda's Greek life royalty. You're nobody."
Scarlett's eyes shifted to him. She didn't flinch. Didn't step back.
"Greek life royalty?" Her voice was almost amused. "That's adorable."
Brett's face flushed red. "What did you just say?"
"I said it's adorable that you think that matters." Scarlett took a step forward instead of back. "You want to do something about it?"
Oh God.
Brett didn't know what he was dealing with. He thought Scarlett was some delicate college girl he could intimidate with his size.
He had no idea.
She'd grown up in rural Montana. Working construction jobs. Hauling equipment. She had the kind of strength you got from real physical labor, not from a gym membership.
And she had absolutely zero fear of getting her hands dirty.
"Brett, wait—" I reached for his arm.
But he was already stepping forward. His chest puffed out. His fists clenched.
"You need to learn some respect."
Scarlett didn't move. She just stood there watching him with those cold eyes.
I felt panic rising in my throat.
"Come on then." Scarlett's voice was quiet. "Let's see what you've got."
This was about to turn into an actual fight.
"Stay away from Scarlett. Don't engage. Let me handle it." I heard Lorenzo's voice in my head.
And my father's words from that night in the bedroom.
"We handle this internally. No public scenes."
My stomach dropped.
If this turned into a physical fight, campus security would come. There would be incident reports. It might make the news.
The Romano name would be dragged through the mud.
Lorenzo would find out I'd started it.
He'd tell my father.
I'd lose their trust. Everything I'd worked for would fall apart.
I couldn't let that happen.
I stepped in front of Brett. Put my hand on his chest.
"Wait, wait." I made my voice loud enough to carry. I forced my expression into something soft.
"This is just a misunderstanding." I looked at Scarlett. "She's my sister. We're just talking."
I turned to the crowd. "Come on, let's all calm down. We don't want anyone getting hurt."
Giselle looked confused. "But Zel, she just—"
"It's fine." I gave her a reassuring smile. "Really. Everything's fine."
I grabbed Paloma's arm and pulled her back. "We should go anyway. Class is starting soon."
Paloma was staring at me like I'd lost my mind. "Why are we leaving?"
"Because I'm not like her." I kept my voice just loud enough for people nearby to hear. "I don't make scenes in public."
I gave Scarlett one last look. Let her see the promise in my eyes.
This isn't over.
Then I turned and walked away.
We walked toward the classroom building in silence. I was already planning my next move.
By the time I was finished, Scarlett would wish she'd never set foot on this campus.