Chapter 2112


    Phoebe''s cheeks flushed a soft pink. "No, that''s not it."


    Angie kept silent, her eyes crinkled with a knowing smile. Despite the yful banter, Angie felt a


    deep tenderness for her dear friend.


    Phoebe, the second daughter of the prestigious Alonso Corporation, should''ve had an easy life,


    pampered and carefree. However, beneath the glitter and mour, her life bore none of such


    characteristics. She was always in the shadow of her sister Wendy, and the Alonso familyvished


    all their attention and affection on the elder sibling, leaving Phoebe to grow up almost wild.


    No one noticed when Phoebe excelled academically, no one cared when she was bullied, and no


    one was there tofort her when she was sad. That guy was the only one Phoebe had ever really


    opened up to, and even those memories were pitifully few.


    Phoebe couldn''t forget the genuine happiness and longing in her heart every time she mentioned


    him. He was someone who could make her cry on purpose, only to turn around and buy her a


    lollipop, coaxing her back to happiness.


    Their encounters were few, but Phoebe remembered one long-ago summer under a towering oak


    tree when that cute boy had told her, "When you''re bullied, just cry. Don''t hold back the hurt and the


    tears. It''s only when you cry that they''ll stop picking on you, and others will notice you. And it''s only


    when you cry that I''ll know it''s time to give you a lollipop."d2


    Those days were limited to that one summer. Still, those memories were enough for Phoebe to cling


    to through many subsequent summers.


    However, the boy who told her to cry never knew that since that summer, Phoebe had never tasted


    another lollipop. And no one ever cared enough about her tears to give her any attention orfort.


    Phoebe was naturally reserved, gentle, and even a bit na?ve. It was only around Angie that she''d let


    loose, asionally showing a quirky side and a penchant for mischief. Anyone could see she was


    the kind of girl who seemed to need protection and a sense of security. She was like a crybaby who


    couldn''t handle any wrongs done to her, but tears were rarely seen in her eyes. She hardly ever let


    them fall.


    Tears wouldn''t bring her that lollipop.


    "Phoebe," Angie''s voice broke through her reverie, "I heard there''s a new café-bookshop hybrid that


    just opened nearby. Even our professors say it''s a good spot. There''s a seminaring up. How


    about we check it out? I heard they''ve got several cozy themes going on there."


    Phoebe''s interest piqued. "Sounds great."


    The two strolled side by side toward the school, oblivious to the blue Lamborghini nearby whose


    window rolled down, the man inside watching them before driving off.


    Exiting the bookshopter that afternoon, Angie and Phoebe were still buzzing with the pleasant


    atmosphere they''d left behind.


    "This ce is quite a find, isn''t it? I haven''t enjoyed reading in such a rxed environment in ages.


    What did you think?"


    Phoebe nodded with a smile. "The selection was great. I even found a book I''d been searching for."


    Angie looked proud. "This chain''s been around for years. I heard it was started by Chloe’s mother,


    back when she was in college."


    Phoebe was impressed. "That''s amazing."


    Angie nodded, "You know the saying, ''Like mother, like daughter''? Seeing how sessful Chloe is,


    it''s no wonder her mom is impressive too."


    As they walked and talked, Angie received a phone call requiring her to return home. Phoebe knew


    the Harper family had been through some tumult but didn''t know the details. Angie hurried to the


    waiting car, her expression troubled.


    After Angie was gone, Phoebe continued toward the school alone. She hadn''t gone far when a


    striking blue sports car pulled up beside her. She shifted aside warily as the window rolled down,


    revealing a young woman draped in faux fur and sporting a chic makeup look.


    Phoebe recognized her from the school. This woman was known among some students for her


    shy style and the rumors that she had a sugar daddy.


    "Hey there," the woman greeted.


    "Can I help you?" Phoebe replied, cautious.


    They had no real connection, but the woman looked puzzled and turned to the driver. A face familiar


    to Phoebe then leaned out.


    "Phoebe?" he greeted her with a grin.


    Phoebe''s eyebrows knitted together, her wariness intensifying. "Mr. Grayson?"


    Grayson couldn''t help but chuckle at her guarded demeanor. "No need to be so formal, Phoebe.


    Call me Grayson."


    Phoebe didn''t have a favorable first impression of him at the hospital. Now, it seemed that he


    probably had toned down the mischievous air he disyed in the hospital.


    Casting a nce at the woman in the passenger seat, Phoebe couldn''t think of anything positive to


    say about Grayson. He was the epitome of a yboy.


    Thinking back to the lies they spun at the hospital, as Azriel''s girlfriend, she couldn''t possibly show


    any displeasure towards Azriel’s buddy today.


    "Heh," she forced augh, "What a coincidence."


    "Yeah, heading back to campus? Hop in, I''ll give you a ride."


    "No, thanks," Phoebe declined without hesitation. "I''m actually heading home."


    "Sure thing." Grayson said, then turned to his passenger, "Get out and walk back. You''ve got legs,


    so use ''em."


    The woman pouted, protesting weakly.


    Phoebe felt a wave of disgust but Grayson''s expression suddenly turned icy, "Get out when I tell


    you to, and don''t push your luck."


    Startled, the woman quickly gathered her shopping bags—each one emzoned with a designer


    logo—and left, casting a lingering look at Grayson. "I''ll be waiting for your call tonight."


    Grayson responded nomittally before turning back to Phoebe, "C''mon, I''ll drive you home."


    Phoebe was speechless. This guy was persistent. And from the look of it, he wouldn''t take no for an


    answer.


    "Actually, I just remembered I left something back at the school..."


    Grayson chuckled, "No worries. I''ll swing by the school with you to grab your stuff, and then I''ll drop


    you off at home." This time, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, gantly opening the


    door for her.


    Phoebe sighed, "Well, thanks, I guess."


    "Anytime."


    With no other option, Phoebe braced herself and got into the car. "Let''s just skip the school and


    head home."


    Grayson let out a softugh, "Sure thing. Where do you live these days?"


    Grayson''s question seemed natural enough.


    "I''m staying with Azriel right now." Phoebe was quick to bring up Azriel whenever she could, unsure


    of what kind of mischief might be on Grayson''s mind.


    Silence fell in the car for a moment, "You''re living together?"


    Phoebe sensed a chilling tone in Grayson''s voice, "Is there a problem?"


    Grayson nced her way with a slight smirk, "No problem. Just surprised that Azriel moved so fast."


    Phoebe forced out an awkward chuckle.


    "It''s still early. How about I treat you to something to eat first?"


    "I can''t. I need to head back and cook dinner."


    "How lovely. Well, how about a coffee then?"


    Phoebe furrowed her brows.


    "I think you''ve got the wrong idea about me, Phoebe. I should really exin myself, and I hope


    you''ll give me the chance."


    "I have no misconceptions about you."


    "Don''t you?"


    Phoebe was at a loss for words. The man just didn''t take a hint.


    Soon, the car pulled up outside a swanky lounge, a regr haunt for Grayson by the looks of it. As


    they approached, a server greeted them with a smile. "Good to see you, Mr. Grayson." Clearly, he


    was a familiar face here.


    Without much ado, Grayson instructed, "Find us a nice, quiet spot for a coffee."


    The server nodded eagerly, leading them through a maze of corridors to the café.


    It was indeed a café, decked out in dark hues with a simple yet luxurious feel—definitely a quiet and


    refined spot. Even the seating was in the most secluded and peaceful part of the establishment.


    "What''s your poison, Phoebe?"


    "Lemonade."


    Grayson gged down the server and ced the order.


    Phoebe was on edge, wary of Grayson''s familiarity with the ce, hoping she hadn''t been led into


    the lion''s den.


    While they waited, Grayson took the opportunity to really look at Phoebe. He hadn''t paid much


    attention the day before with Azriel around. She seemed like a young girl who wore her heart on her


    sleeve, na?ve and easily bullied.


    Pretty, sure, but there were plenty prettier. Especially that woman who''d been glued to Azriel’s side


    for years, surpassing Phoebe in looks, brains, and everything else. And yet, for some unfathomable


    reason, Azriel had chosen this girl, who was nothing but dead weight.


    "So, Phoebe, how long have you known Azriel? I never heard of him getting close to a girl, let alone


    committing for life."


    Phoebe tensed up, scrambling to concoct a usible lie. "He was my grandfather''s student. We''ve


    known each other for years. It just happened."


    Grayson raised an eyebrow, his gaze narrowing, "You''re the granddaughter of Professor Joseph?"


    Phoebe realized her lie was close to the truth. "Yeah. Did you go to the same school with Azriel?


    Were you also one of my grandfather''s students?"


    Grayson''s expression became somber, "What a small world."


    Phoebe was surprised. It turned out that Azriel really was her grandfather''s student, "Quite a


    coincidence."


    "And you''re currently a...?"


    "Well, second-year grad student."


    Grayson nodded with a light chuckle, "A chip off the old block, an academic through and through."


    Perhaps because of their shared connection to her grandfather, Grayson seemed to lose some of


    his edge. They foundmon ground and chatted idly for over half an hour, but Phoebe''s guard


    stayed up. Grayson seemed moody, and she couldn''t shake the feeling he was up to no good.


    In the end, nothing untoward happened. They talked, and Grayson drove her home, leaving Phoebe


    feeling like she might have been too suspicious. Even so, she hoped never to cross paths with


    Grayson again.


    *


    Azriel was unlikely toe home that night. Phoebe was taken aback by the news as she stepped


    inside. "Where will he sleep if he doesn''te home?"


    The butler just smiled at her, saying nothing, which left Phoebe feeling strangely choked up. She


    went upstairs, trying to shake the difort, but spent a restless evening.


    Come morning, Phoebe headed downstairs to make breakfast, only to be stopped by the house


    staff.


    Azriel really hadn''te home. She ate her breakfast listlessly.


    The butler had already arranged a car for Phoebe.


    Phoebe couldn''t understand why she felt so gloomy as she mindlessly got out of the car at the


    university gate. Then, out of nowhere, a sharp pnded on her face.


    Reeling, Phoebe steadied herself against the car, only to be bombarded with a purse being hurled


    at her, followed by a couple of vicious kicks to her legs. It all happened so fast.


    Even with the driver''s quick reaction, Phoebe took a beating. He stepped in to separate them,


    confronting the raging woman, "Miss, why are you hitting someone out of the blue?"


    "Because she''s a tramp," the woman snapped, her makeup-perfect face twisted with fury, "She


    dared to seduce my fiancé. Can you handle the consequences?"


    Phoebe felt her leg might split from the pain, leaning against the car door, her face ghostly and


    sweaty.


    A crowd had gathered at the school entrance, their gazes a mix of contempt and disdain. Humiliated


    and furious, Phoebe clenched her teeth and retorted, "Who seduced your fiancé? I don''t even know


    who he is!"


    The driver tried to defuse the situation, "Miss, there''s got to be some misunderstanding."


    "Misunderstanding?" The woman named Alyna scoffed, "You don''t know my fiancé, but you must


    know Grayson, right?"


    Phoebe stiffened, "Not a stranger, but hardly an acquaintance."


    "Come on, you''re not familiar with him? He took you out for coffee at the club yesterday? Want me


    to pull up the surveince footage for you?"


    At the mention of ''surveince'', the whispers around them grew louder, as if they were discussing


    some scandalous, forbidden video.


    "I don''t know him like that. It''s not what you think. He''s just my...” Phoebe was at a loss for words.


    She and Azriel were nothing to each other.


    She had only epted the position of Azriel’s girlfriend in front of Grayson and his friends to avoid


    any connection with Grayson. But Azriel had his own life, and when he didn''te back to the vi


    last night, it dawned on her that he might actually have a girlfriend. If she kept using Azriel as a


    shield now, where would that leave his girlfriend?


    "Just what? Let''s hear the story you''ve cooked up."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The scoffing around her intensified and Phoebe''s eyes reddened, her voice grew faint as she


    struggled to maintain herposure. "Just a friend of a friend."


    "Ha," Alyna snorted, "That excuse wouldn''t fool a child. You think it fools me?"


    Phoebe felt a stabbing pain throughout her body, her face deathly pale. "Believe it or not, he and I


    aren''t whatever you''re imagining."


    "Now you y the timid card, huh? When you were luring him in, what were you thinking? I''m telling


    you, keep away from him. If I catch wind of this again, I''ll strip you down and give you a beating."


    With a cold huff, Alyna shot Phoebe a venomous nce before spinning on her heel and striding to


    her fiery red sports car. She revved the engine, her departure as brash as her arrival.


    The driver exhaled a sigh of relief, turning to see Phoebe crouched on the ground, her ghastly pallor


    startling him. "Ms. Phoebe, get in the car. I''ll take you to the hospital."


    Phoebe bit down hard, her eyes scalding with unshed tears. She nodded at the driver''s words,


    allowing him to help her into the vehicle.


    On the way to the hospital, the driver dialed Azriel''s number. Azriel had just settled into a meeting


    room, his expression stormy as he faced the gathered executives. With recent dealings involving


    the Alonso family, he’d been sorting through rted business well into the previous night. After


    project after project hitting snags, he had rounded up the involved parties early this morning for a


    reckoning.


    The room was tense, and when his phone lit up, Azriel barely nced at it before ignoring the call.


    After several persistent rings, he finally picked it up.


    Before he could even speak, an anxious voice came through. "Mr. Azriel, Ms. Phoebe''s been


    attacked."


    Azriel''s expression turned to granite. "Where are you now?"


    "I''m on my way to the hospital with Ms. Phoebe. She seems to be in a lot of pain. Looks like she''s


    hurt."


    The meeting room door mmed shut with a loud bang, leaving the attendees to realize Azriel had


    vanished.


    *


    Azriel sped to the hospital, and by the time he arrived, Phoebe was lying in a hospital bed, bruises


    marring her forehead and cheekbones, her right leg swathed in thick bandages.


    When he burst into the room, a wave of hurt surged from her heart, but she held back her tears,


    biting her lip and taking a deep breath to suppress the emotions threatening to overflow.


    "You''re here." Her voice was hoarse. She knew the driver had called him, but she was too drained


    to protest.


    Azriel''s face was dark with fury as he approached her. His gaze lingered on her battered face and


    leg before he finally spoke, his voice a low rumble of suppressed anger, "Who did this?"


    Phoebe sniffed, trying to maintain herposure. "I ran into Grayson at the school gates yesterday


    afternoon. He took me for coffee, and his fiancée thought I was his mistress. You need to get


    Grayson for me. I can''t let this slide without a fight."


    Azriel''s eyes narrowed, and after a brief moment of contemtion, his voice turned ice cold.


    "I''ll go to him personally."