Beneath his cruelty

The Humiliation

Emily hated Blackwood Academy already.

she had barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Damon Blackwood’s face.

Those cold eyes.

That arrogant smirk.

That irritating voice calling her “farm girl” like it was supposed to embarrass her.

Unfortunately for him—

Emily Carter had dealt with worse than spoiled rich boys.

Still…

Something about Damon unsettled her.

Not because she was scared of him.

But because she couldn’t figure him out.

The next morning, Emily stood nervously in front of the massive mirror inside her room, adjusting the black blazer of her new school uniform.

It fit perfectly.

Too perfectly.

The white shirt underneath felt stiff against her skin, and the skirt was much shorter than anything she normally wore.

Emily tugged at it awkwardly.

“This feels illegal,” she muttered under her breath.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

“Miss Emily?” one of the maids called gently from outside. “Breakfast is ready.”

Emily grabbed her bag quickly.

“Coming!”

The hallway downstairs smelled faintly like coffee and expensive perfume.

Everything in this mansion looked polished.

Perfect.

Even the silence felt rich.

Emily entered the dining room cautiously—

Then immediately regretted it.

Damon sat at the table already dressed in his school uniform.

Black blazer slightly open.

Tie loose.

Dark hair messy in a way that somehow still looked intentional.

He looked like the type of person magazines would call dangerously handsome.

Which honestly annoyed Emily even more.

Damon glanced up the moment she entered.

Then his eyes slowly travelled over her uniform.

Taking in every detail.

Emily instantly hated that.

“What?” she asked flatly while sitting down.

Damon leaned back lazily in his chair.

“Nothing.”

Emily narrowed her eyes.

“You’re staring again.”

A faint smirk appeared on his face.

“And you’re still talking too much.”

Before Emily could reply, Victor entered the dining room holding a tablet in one hand.

“Good morning.”

Emily immediately softened slightly.

“Morning.”

Damon didn’t answer.

He just continued eating quietly.

Victor noticed the tension instantly.

Probably because the tension between Emily and Damon filled entire rooms at this point.

“You’ll both be leaving together today,” Victor said casually.

Emily nearly choked on her juice.

“We what?”

Damon looked equally annoyed.

“No.”

Victor didn’t even look up from his tablet.

“Yes.”

“I’m not babysitting her.”

Emily frowned immediately.

“And I don’t need babysitting.”

Victor sighed tiredly.

“You’re going to the same school. You’ll survive one car ride.”

Damon muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously insulting.

Emily chose not to ask.

Mostly because she already had enough problems.

Twenty minutes later, Emily sat stiffly inside the backseat of Damon’s car while he scrolled through his phone beside her.

The silence was unbearable.

Emily glanced out the window awkwardly.

Then back at him.

Then away again.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“So do you just hate everybody naturally,” she asked, “or does it require practise?”

Damon didn’t look up from his phone.

“I only hate annoying people.”

Emily scoffed softly.

“Then you must hate yourself.”

That finally made him look at her.

Slowly.

Silence stretched between them.

Then unexpectedly—

The corner of Damon’s mouth twitched slightly.

Almost a smile.

Almost.

“You really don’t know when to stop talking.”

Emily crossed her arms.

“And you really don’t know how to act like a human being.”

The driver looked terrified.

Damon leaned back against the seat again, eyes fixed on Emily now instead of his phone.

And for some reason—

That made her nervous.

Not scared.

Just…

Aware.

“You’re different from the girls here,” he said suddenly.

Emily frowned.

“That supposed to be an insult?”

“A statement.”

She didn’t know how to answer that.

So instead, she looked out the window again.

The car finally stopped in front of enormous gates with golden letters reading:

BLACKWOOD ACADEMY

Emily’s stomach tightened instantly.

The school looked more like a university than a high school.

Large buildings.

Perfect lawns.

Luxury cars everywhere.

Groups of students dressed flawlessly.

Everyone looked rich.

Confident.

Untouchable.

And then there was Emily.

A farm girl pretending she belonged there.

“Try not to embarrass yourself,” Damon said while opening the car door.

Emily glared at him immediately.

“Try not to trip over your ego.”

Then she climbed out before he could respond.

The moment students noticed Damon—

Everything changed.

Girls straightened immediately.

Guys greeted him nervously.

Whispers spread everywhere.

“That’s Damon Blackwood…”

“He’s so hot…”

“Who’s the girl with him?”

Emily noticed the attention immediately.

And honestly?

She hated it.

Damon walked through the school like he owned it.

Maybe because he practically did.

Meanwhile Emily struggled not to look overwhelmed.

“You walk slow,” Damon commented casually.

Emily shot him an irritated look.

“Some of us are trying not to have a panic attack.”

That actually surprised him slightly.

“You get nervous?”

Emily rolled her eyes.

“I’m human. Unlike you.”

Before Damon could answer—

A loud feminine voice interrupted.

“Damon!”

A blonde girl practically appeared out of nowhere before wrapping her arms around his arm possessively.

She was beautiful.

Perfect makeup.

Perfect hair.

Perfect smile.

The kind of girl Emily immediately knew would hate her.

And judging by the way the girl looked at her—

Emily was right.

“Who’s this?” the girl asked sweetly.

Too sweetly.

Damon looked bored already.

“Emily.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

The girl’s eyes scanned Emily slowly from head to toe.

Judging.

Dismissive.

Emily resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Barely.

“She’s staying at our house,” Damon replied carelessly.

Silence.

The girl blinked.

Then laughed lightly like Damon had just made a joke.

“Oh. You’re serious.”

Emily’s irritation immediately returned.

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

The girl smiled politely.

“It means Damon usually doesn’t bring strangers around.”

Damon suddenly looked amused again.

Like he was waiting to see what Emily would do.

Emily crossed her arms.

“Well lucky me, I guess.”

The girl’s smile tightened slightly.

“I’m Bianca Sterling.”

Emily nodded once.

“Emily Carter.”

Bianca’s eyes flickered briefly at the last name.

Probably recognizing exactly how poor Emily sounded compared to everyone else here.

Then Bianca smiled again.

“You’ll probably have a hard time fitting in here.”

Emily smiled right back.

“Good thing I didn’t come to impress anybody.”

That answer clearly wasn’t expected.

Bianca’s expression faltered for half a second.

Beside them—

Damon watched the interaction carefully.

And strangely—

He looked entertained.

“Class starts in five minutes,” he said lazily before walking away.

Bianca immediately followed him.

But before leaving—

She glanced back at Emily one last time.

And the warning in her eyes was impossible to miss.

Emily sighed quietly.

Fantastic.

She had been here less than one day and already made enemies.

The classroom was worse.

Much worse.

Every student stared openly when Emily entered.

Some curious.

Others judgemental.

A few amused.

The teacher smiled politely.

“You must be Miss Carter.”

Emily nodded nervously.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Please introduce yourself.”

Emily swallowed hard before facing the class.

“My name is Emily Carter. I transferred here from Millbrook County.”

A few students whispered immediately.

“Country girl…”

“Seriously?”

Emily pretended not to hear them.

But her cheeks still burned slightly.

“Take the empty seat near the back,” the teacher instructed kindly.

Emily grabbed her bag and walked toward the seat—

Only to freeze halfway there.

The empty seat was beside Damon.

Of course it was.

Damon leaned back in his chair lazily while students watched Emily carefully.

Waiting.

Interested.

Emily slowly sat down beside him.

Trying very hard not to look nervous.

Damon glanced sideways at her.

Then smirked faintly.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me.”

Emily placed her bag down calmly before replying.

“Trust me,” she muttered quietly,

“I’m suffering more.”