Chapter 23

Upon overhearing the crowd, Joyce burst out laughing as she settled in at the table with her friends.

Kenzie said, "Everyone's talking about that video -I keep hearing it everywhere!"

Taking a sip from her cola, Joyce grinned, her spirits high. "I know, right? At this rate, Daisy won't even show up around here anymore."

A fresh laugh escaped Kenzie. "Honestly! Did she really think we'd keep it to ourselves?"

The thought crossed Kenzie's mind that if Arabella hadn't quit following their lead, she would probably be the one running errands now.

That resentment toward Arabella lingered in Kenzie's mind.

In that moment, Joyce's phone suddenly rang.

A voice came through the line. "Joyce, have you checked the video online?" Elissa asked.

A loud laugh left Joyce as she replied, "So you

saw it too? Has the dance troupe found out? Is Daisy about to get kicked out?"

Elissa didn't answer right away. After a brief silence, she urged, "Just look at it now!"

With nothing more to say, Elissa ended the call.

Confusion flickered on Joyce's face, but her curiosity won out and she quickly pulled up the video she had uploaded.

The sight on her screen made every muscle in Joyce's body freeze.

What she saw wasn't Daisy at all; it was her own face.

She had checked the video over and over before posting. She could have sworn it was Daisy in the footage. None of it made sense.

A wave of panic crashed through Joyce as the sounds of gossip surrounded her, growing louder with every second.

All the whispers and side conversations were suddenly about her.

Joyce clung to hope as she turned to Kenzie."Kenzie, you saw the video before I posted it,didn't you? That was Daisy, right?" Her whole body was shaking.

Kenzie looked just as stunned. "Yeah, I did,but...

how did things end uplike this?"

A loud cry burst from Joyce. "Oh my God!"

She shoved the table away with a sudden kick,her hands trembling as she hurried to delete the video. Her eyes turned red from holding back tears. Glancing around at her classmates, all frozen in shock, she ran out of the cafeteria in a frenzy.

By then, the video had already attracted thousands of views.

Joyce's mind refused to accept it as a simple mistake.

There had to be someone behind it.

She made up her mind to head to the company and talk to the programmers herself.

Kenzie sat there in a daze, the shock refusing to let her relax.

Right before the afternoon classes, Kenzie spotted Arabella sitting alone on a chair.

Sunlight poured over Arabella, and she tilted her face up, her delicate features striking Kenzie once again.

It brought Kenzie back to those days when Daisy had first started at school. Back then, she was beautiful and full of life, but Joyce's bullying had snuffed out her spark.

Now, Daisy looked more dazzling than ever, her confidence shining bright.

A feeling of anger slowly crept into Kenzie's chest.

Both of them came from families with little money,but Daisy's beauty seemed untouched by her struggles.

Breaking the silence, Kenzie sat beside Arabella."Daisy," she said, her voice serious, "was this your doing? I know you can't stand Joyce,but you do realize she's the Lambert Group CEO's only child, right? She's out of reach for people like us,just like Elissa. There's nothing we can do to change that."

Arabella didn't lift her eyes from the pages of her book. She gave no sign she had heard Kenzie at all.

Kenzie added, "Getting on Joyce's bad side means making enemies with all the elite. Kenny Hyde is her boyfriend, and her whole group is nothing but wealthy girls from powerful families.

When you're out there looking for a job after graduation, people like them will block your way.You'll run into trouble at every turn. I'm not trying to scare you. I just want you to think about your future."

A sudden chill colored Arabella's words as she finally spoke. "So, if I want a future, I have to join in on picking on other people?"

Her cold stare sent an uneasy shiver through Kenzie.

Anger welled up in Kenzie. "I'm only looking out for you, but you don't appreciate it. Next time those girls go after you, don't expect me to help out."

She let out a sharp laugh. "Joyce is in deep trouble now, thanks to you. You'd better be ready for whatever payback she comes up with!"

No reaction showed on Arabella's face.

If Joyce wanted to make things difficult, she was ready for it. She almost hoped things would get even more chaotic.

Her thoughts proved right. Once classes ended and Arabella reached the front gate, a luxury car rolled to a stop beside her.

Two bodyguards stepped out and moved in her direction. Their tone was cold and commanding."Miss Stanley, come with us. Mrs. Lambert wants to speak with you."

There was nothing friendly about their invitation.

The students nearby watched the scene unfold,quickly making way. They whispered among themselves as Arabella climbed into the car.

"Do you think Daisy's in trouble?"

"The Lambert family has ties to some shady people. She might be in real danger."

"Will Daisy come back after this?"

Sitting inside the car, Arabella found herself surrounded by bodyguards. She kept one hand on her phone in her pocket, subtly tapping at it.Suddenly, a bodyguard reached over and pulled her hand away. "Don't move!"

Without a word, Arabella leaned back and shut her eyes, choosing to rest.

A frown creased the bodyguard's face.

He couldn't figure her out. How could she stay so calm? Did she know what probably waited for her?