Summer's Rose

Chapter 15: The Last Straw

Lucius seized her chin, his touch rough, his voice laced with a chilling sweetness. "Haven't I been good to you?"

Hannah's breath hitched as she stammered, "Y-you have."

"Then why?" His grip tightened, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Why would you break up with me?"

Her voice trembled as she spoke, barely audible. "Because... this isn’t the right time for a relationship. My grades have been slipping, and my mother... she suspects I’m falling in love. She thinks that’s why I’ve been struggling."

Hannah’s grades had always been a source of pride for her family, proof of her bright future. But when her ranking began to slip, the questions came swiftly, followed by accusations.

Her mother cornered her one evening, her voice sharp and unyielding. “Are you in a relationship? If you are, end it immediately. Your future matters more than some fleeting romance. There’s no time for distractions.”

Those words echoed in Hannah’s mind for weeks, a relentless drumbeat that grew louder until she couldn’t bear it anymore. She caved, ending the relationship. But that wasn’t the end of her torment.

Lucius sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. “Tsk, tsk.” His hand crept beneath the hem of her shirt, his touch predatory.

Hannah recoiled, her small frame thrashing against his grip, but she was no match for his strength. Before she could scream, Lucius grabbed her wrists and bound them with a rope he found nearby.

“Stop! Please, don’t do this,” she begged, tears streaming down her face.

Lucius’s lips curled into a chilling smile as he pulled out his phone. The lens glinted menacingly under the dim light, reflecting her tear-streaked face like a cruel mirror.

“Smile for the camera,” he said, his voice low and taunting. “I wonder what your classmates will think of their perfect little student now. Exciting, isn’t it? So, tell me, what do you think?”

“Please,” she sobbed, her voice hoarse. “Don’t take pictures of me. I’m begging you.”

Her school uniform was already disheveled, her pants partially pulled down, and her shirt hiked up. Fear rooted her to the spot, her body trembling with helplessness.

Outside, in the dimly lit corridor, Zhou Nan and Yong Ming were walking past the equipment room. Yong Ming stopped, tilting his head. “Zhou Nan, did you hear that?” he asked, his face scrunching in confusion. “I swear I heard something inside.”

Zhou Nan paused, narrowing his eyes. “Yeah, sounds like rustling. Wait—was that a girl’s voice? Did she just say ‘help’?”

Inside, Lucius clamped a hand over Hannah’s mouth, his breath hot against her ear. “Shut up,” he hissed. “You scream again, and I swear your pictures will be all over the school forum by tomorrow.”

But Hannah couldn’t stop the muffled sobs that escaped her throat.

Zhou Nan’s voice rang out sharply. “Yong Ming, kick the door. Someone’s in there.”

Without hesitation, Zhou Nan stepped forward, slamming his foot against the door. It groaned under the force but didn’t give way. He kicked again, and this time, the lock shattered, the door flying open to reveal the horrifying scene.

The light from the hallway spilled into the room, and Zhou Nan stepped in, a menacing figure silhouetted against the doorway. For a moment, he looked like a hero straight out of a movie—broad shoulders, clenched fists, and a fury that could ignite a wildfire.

“What the f**k you’re doing?” Yong Ming yelled, his voice cracking with anger as his eyes darted to Hannah, her disheveled clothes a glaring testament to what had almost happened.

Zhou Nan’s gaze zeroed in on Lucius. Without a word, he grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward. “Hold him down,” Zhou Nan yelled at Yong Ming. “Don’t let him move!”

Yong Ming obeyed, pinning Lucius’s arms behind his back.

Zhou Nan turned to Hannah, his tone softening. “Fix your clothes first. Then, when you’re ready, tell us what happened.”

Hannah’s hands trembled as she adjusted her uniform, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. “He… he dragged me here,” she stammered, tears spilling over her cheeks. “He tried to take off my clothes… he took pictures… he was going to—” Her voice broke, unable to finish the sentence.

Zhou Nan’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening like a vice. “Yong Ming, check his pockets.”

Yong Ming fished Lucius’s phone out of his pocket, holding it up. “Got it.”

“Unlock it,” Zhou Nan commanded, his voice icy.

“It’s my phone!” Lucius protested, struggling against Yong Ming’s grip. “You can’t just go through it!”

Zhou Nan didn’t respond. Instead, he swung his fist, connecting with Lucius’s jaw in a resounding c***k. “Unlock it. Now.”

Lucius whimpered, his bravado crumbling as fear replaced his smug demeanor. His hands trembled as he clutched the phone, hesitating under Zhou Nan’s piercing glare.

“It’s just… just some pictures,” he stammered, his voice weak and pleading. “I’ll delete them, okay? I swear.”

Zhou Nan’s expression hardened, his jaw set like stone. “Do it. Now.”

Lucius fumbled with the phone, his fingers shaking as he entered the password. The screen lit up, revealing the incriminating gallery. Slowly, he navigated to the photos and began deleting them, his every move watched closely by Zhou Nan and Yong Ming.

“Don’t even think about skipping a single one,” Zhou Nan warned, his voice cold and unyielding.

“I’m deleting them, see? They’re gone!” Lucius insisted, trying to muster some shred of defiance.

Yong Ming leaned closer, his voice low but firm. “Check the recently deleted folder. Don’t play games with us.”

Lucius froze, his face paling as he realized his mistake. He swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. “I-I didn’t think—”

“Do it,” Zhou Nan snapped, cutting him off.

With shaking hands, Lucius opened the folder and cleared it completely, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. Yong Ming snatched the phone and double-checked it, nodding grimly. “It’s clean.”

Zhou Nan’s gaze bore into Lucius, a silent promise of consequences if he dared cross them again. “You’re lucky this time,” he said, his voice like ice. “But if you try anything like this again, there won’t be a next time.”

Zhou Nan turned back to Hannah, his tone gentle but firm. “Do you want us to call the police? Or a teacher?”

Hannah shook her head vehemently, fresh tears pooling in her eyes. “No. Please, no police. No teachers. I just… I just want to go home.”

Yong Ming frowned. “But this is serious. What he did—it’s a crime. If we hadn’t come by—”

“I know!” Hannah interrupted, her voice rising. “I know what could have happened. But if anyone finds out… if my family finds out…” Her voice cracked, and she buried her face in her hands. “I’ll be ruined.”

Zhou Nan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Okay. We’ll respect your decision. But I need you to be sure. Do you really want to let this go?”

Hannah nodded, her voice barely audible. “Yes.”

Her mother wouldn’t care about what Hannah had endured. She would only see her as someone who had nearly been "tainted."

In her mother’s eyes, she would no longer be a delicate, cherished flower. Instead, she’d be seen as wilted and damaged, exuding nothing but disgust and shame.

Zhou Nan turned back to Lucius,he looked down at him with an imposing glare. "Do you even know what you did today?"

Lucius lowered his head, biting his lip, unable to respond.

Yong Ming stepped forward, his voice sharp and scathing. "What the f**k are you pretending to be? Do you know this is a crime? It’s attempted r**e, you fool. Do you even get that? And taking photos of an innocent girl? Are you even a man? You're disgusting."

Lucius knew who Zhou Nan was. Crossing this demon could mean ending up in a hospital bed for weeks. Trembling, he dropped to his knees, clutching Zhou Nan's leg.

"I was wrong. Sorry! I shouldn’t have taken those photos, and I shouldn’t have thought about doing something so horrible to her. Please, since nothing actually happened, let me go this time!"

Every word Lucius spoke, Zhou Nan recorded on his phone, ensuring there was evidence if the girl later decided to press charges or change her mind.

With disgust in his eyes, Zhou Nan kicked Lucius away. "Don’t touch me. You make me sick.F**king bastard."

Grabbing Lucius by the collar, Zhou Nan began dragging him out of the room. But as he reached the door, he felt a light tug on his sleeve.

"Please," Hannah’s voice was shaky, barely above a whisper. "Please don’t tell anyone about this."

Zhou Nan nodded solemnly. "Alright, I’ll keep it a secret." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Do you need to call someone to take you home? You can use my phone."

"Thank you," Hannah murmured, still visibly tense and on edge. She accepted the phone with trembling hands.

In the following days, Hannah’s guilt gnawed at her like a relentless parasite. Zhou Nan had saved her, yet his act of heroism had spiraled into rumors that painted him as the villain. Meanwhile, Lucius strutted around school like nothing had happened, his smug smirk a constant reminder of her silence.

Hannah’s grades continued to plummet, her focus shattered by memories of that night and the weight of her secret. When her teacher summoned her to the office, she braced herself for the inevitable lecture.

“I’ve spoken to your mother,” the teacher said, her tone stern but concerned. “She says you’ve been reluctant to come to school. Your grades have dropped significantly. What’s going on, Hannah?”

Hannah couldn’t answer. Words failed her as shame and fear choked her like a noose. She stumbled out of the office, her vision blurred by tears.

---

One afternoon, the school buzzed with whispers. “Did you hear? Something happened on the rooftop.”

“What?” another student asked, their voice hushed with intrigue.