Page 79 of The Sweetest Revenge

"What do you mean by further investigation?" My voice came out smaller than I intended, a scared kid's voice, not the confident dancer I was supposed to be.

Dean Sweeney's face remained unfazed as if she hadn't just blown up my entire life. "At best, your suspension will be lifted. At worst—" She let the words hang there, heavy as storm clouds. "You will be permanently expelled."

"And what about Zaiden?"

"Mr. Knight is fortunate that we can't see his face."

A laugh bubbled up in my throat, sharp and bitter. "Are you fucking serious?"

"Ms. Ledger." Dean Sweeney's voice cracked like a whip. "Do not make this worse than it already is."

"Worse?" The word tore from my throat, raw and ragged. My vision blurred, but I refused to let them see me cry. "You've taken everything from me, but Zaiden, the God of Hockey, can do no wrong." I spat his name like a curse, remembering his smirk when he'd told me I was 'his.' I pursed my lips. "What if he had forced me? What would you have done?"

"That's enough, Ms. Ledger," Coach Hillard snapped.

"No, really?" Anger radiated off me. "Would you have kicked out your star hockey player? Or would I have been punished for that, too?"

She squared her shoulders, lifting her chin. "We will contact you once a decision has been made."

"This is such bullshit," I growled, whipping around and storming out of the office. My chest was heaving with anger.

This was all Zaiden's fault.

CHAPTER37

ZAIDEN

It felt good to be on the ice again.

I was so ready for hockey season to start.

The cool air hit my face as I glided around the rink before skidding to a stop and throwing up shaved ice.

My gaze lifted to the stadium seating, narrowing when I realized Ariella was gone. I spun on the ice, scanning the entire arena. She'd left.

Sterling slid to a stop beside me. "She left about fifteen minutes ago." He tapped his hockey stick against my shin pad. "So you can stop showing off now."

I traced the path she would have taken through the empty seats. "Where did she go?"

Sterling twisted his stick between his palms, that knowing smirk spreading across his face. "How the fuck would I know that?"

"I meant, did you see which way she went?"

"Oh." He planted his stick on the ice, using it to pivot toward the upper level. His free hand gestured to the doors. "She went into the sports hall."

My gaze locked on that door, remembering how she'd hesitated to even come into the ice arena. The slight tremble in her fingers. The way her breathing had shortened.

Ariella could wear anger like armor and wield sadness like a shield, but fear was different. It consumed her to a level that was overwhelming, which made her such an easy target.

"Where would she have gone?" The question came out casual, but Sterling's expression made my stomach twist. The sports hall reopened today, and it was mostly empty. There were no practices or team meetings.

He leaned on his stick, that shit-eating grin spreading wider. "Oh, I don't know." The pause stretched. "Maybe cleaning out her locker? You know, since you torpedoed her life."

I forced my lips into a smirk, ignoring the sudden chill that had nothing to do with the ice. "I didn't ruin anything. I improved it."

"Would she agree with that?"

"She will eventually see things my way."

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