Her slender, pale fingers closed tightly around Daisy''s throat. "Daisy, have I been too nice to you?"


    "It—it wasn''t me! Let me go!" Daisy choked out, iling her arms and legs.


    "If not you, then who? You''re the only one in this room who has a problem with me,” Yvonne said, her grip tightening.


    Daisy''s face started to turn purple as she struggled for air.


    "Not me! I was at the talent show the whole time! I came back with Marina right after,” she rasped, forcing the words out.


    "If it wasn''t you, then tell me who it was," Yvonne demanded, a cold, humorless smile on her face as she maintained her grip.


    Starved for oxygen, Daisy''s struggles grew weaker. Her eyes darted instinctively toward Doris.


    Doris was still sitting at her desk, her head bowed so low it nearly touched her chest -a clear sign of guilt.


    But even on the verge of passing out, Daisy didn''t rat her out. She was betting Yvonne wouldn''t dare to actually kill her.


    As if to prove her right, Yvonne''s grip loosened slightly. Daisy gasped for air, but just as she took a few ragged breaths, Yvonne''s fingers mped down again.


    Daisy''s body convulsed in a desperate, oxygen-starved struggle. Yvonne would ease up for a moment, letting her breathe, only to tighten her grip again.


    She yed with her like a toy, repeating the cycle several times until Daisy finally broke.


    "Doris! It was Doris! Check the logs if you don''t believe me! She was the only one who left the show early toe back to the dorm!"


    As soon as the words tumbled out, Yvonne released her.


    Daisy copsed to the floor, her legs giving out, and gasped for air. Two dark bruises were already forming on her neck sh coughed violently, her throat Clearly injured.


    Yvonne ignored her and turned a contemptuous gaze on Doris.


    "Hmph. A famous A-list actress reduced to being Daisy''s little stooge. I guess I overestimated you. You have ten minutes to clean up my bed."


    With that, Yvonne grabbed her toiletries and headed for themunal washroom at the end of the hall.


    After she left, the dorm room fell into a dead silence.


    Doris sat frozen on her bed, her face burning with humiliation. She felt as if her pride had been stripped away. She had never been so thoroughly shamed in her life.


    "Doris, I can help you clean Yvonne''s bed," Marina offered, trying to be helpful. Doris nced at her, then gave a stiff, miserable nod.


    But Daisy, clutching her throat, shrieked, “Don''t anyone touch it! If you help her, you''re making an enemy of the Smith family!"


    Neither Doris nor Marina dared to cross her, and they froze. They watched as Daisy, fuming, pulled out her phone and furiously dialed a number.


    Yvonne was on her way back from the washroom when her phone rang. It was George.


    "You little brat!" he roared. “Didn''t I


    warn you not to mess with Ms. Smith? What is wrong with you? Get


    down on


    on your knees and apologize.. to her right now, or don''t me me


    for disowning you!"


    Yvonne just scoffed. "Let me give


    you a little warning, Chairman


    Spencer. Stay out of my way.


    Otherwise 11 l?t the whole world know that Queena is your


    illegitimate child. The James family


    doesn''t take kindly to being


    deceived."