?Chapter 1182:


    And yet, if someone pressed him with the question, “Do you like her?” he couldn’t give a clear reply.


    The truth was, he had never sat down and truly thought about it at all.


    At that exact moment, as Ethan faced Loraine’s question, his mind splintered and drifted—pulled irresistibly to the image of Marisa. It was the only time she had ever worn a skirt.


    The sunlight that day had been blindingly bright, casting her in an entirely new light—something wild and unfamiliar, a side of Marisa he never saw within the walls of school.


    Ethan could still feel the gentle breeze that had danced around her, carrying that faint, intoxicating scent. Somehow, without fully realizing it, he had already carved out a secret ce for her deep inside his heart—right beneath Maia and Katie. Was it love? He couldn’t tell. Not yet.


    Ethan snapped back to reality, his eyes locking with Loraine’s sharp gaze. “Ms. Harvey,” he drawled, “I’m just asking for a day off. It’s not—”


    He opened his mouth to exin, to tell her it wasn’t what she thought.


    But before he could get the words out, Loraine cut in, her voice slicing through the air like a whip. “Enough!” she snapped. “Is that your answer or not? I don’t care for your excuses. Admit it or deny it. That’s all I want from you.”


    Loraine jabbed a finger at Ethan, her voice cutting andced with bitter disappointment. “Ethan! I expected better from you… If that’s how it is, I’ll call your sister, Maia, to take your ce.”


    “Tsk… this is getting unbearable,” Marisa muttered, calm but edged with irritation.


    In a sudden stride, she stepped forward, grabbed Ethan by the arm, and pulled him behind her. She squared her shoulders, facing Loraine with a cool, unbothered stare.


    “Ms. Harvey, don’t you think your entire question might be wed?”


    Before anyone could react, she mmed both hands down on the desk. The loud bang echoed like a gunshot through the tense silence.


    “What are you doing?” Loraine recoiled, eyes wide with shock.


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    Marisa’s reputation was legendary—an untouchable force no one dared cross. Teachers whispered her name in uneasy tones, and even they avoided her path. Her shadowy past only fed the mystique around her, but one thing was certain: no one challenged Marisa and came out unscathed.


    The other teachers in the office quickly averted their eyes, silently abandoning Loraine to face the storm alone. Loraine’s expression twisted with shock—and a flicker of fear.


    Marisa leaned in, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Don’t worry. I’m here to answer your question. It seems you didn’t know—Ethan and Mnie aren’t the only ones asking for time off. I’m in on it too.”


    She moved closer, eyes gleaming as she stared Loraine down. “By your logic, the three of us hang out all the time. I even shared the same hospital room with Ethan recently. So, Ms. Harvey… should we all just admit we’re in a rtionship? And maybe Ethan and Mnie both like me? Is that the conclusion you want?”


    Softer than Loraine’s earlier scolding, Marisa’s voice still carried through the office with sharper, more piercing rity. Loraine stood frozen, caughtpletely off guard by Marisa’s sudden, ruthless counterattack.


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