Chapter 10: Shattered Bonds
337 Words
The revenge machine Ellie built began turning on her own circle.
Professor Edward Lang, feeling the heat from the growing scandals, launched a preemptive strike. He spread rumours that Ellie had tried to seduce him for better grades, complete with fabricated evidence. The university launched a formal investigation.
During a tense meeting with the disciplinary board, Ellie defended herself with calculated poise. But the damage was done — more students turned against her, viewing her as a troublemaker.
Marcus finally reached his breaking point. He found her after one of her cleaning shifts, waiting outside the office building.
“I can’t watch this anymore,” he said, voice heavy with disappointment. “You’re destroying lives, Ellie. Not just Richard’s — innocent people are getting caught in the crossfire. Jazz is suicidal. Chloe is terrified. And now you’re dragging your own cousin into this darkness.”
Ellie’s eyes flashed with anger. “They didn’t care when they destroyed me! Why should I care about them?”
“Because if you keep going like this,” Marcus said sadly, “there won’t be anything left of the girl I fell for. You’re losing your soul, Ellie.”
He walked away, leaving her standing alone under the streetlights.
That night, Patricia called. The rumours had somehow reached back home through family friends.
“Eleanor, what is happening up there?” her mother demanded, voice trembling with worry and anger. “People are saying you’re involved in scandals again. That you’re blackmailing people. Is this true?”
Ellie lied through her teeth, but Patricia wasn’t fooled. “I raised you better than this. If you continue down this path, I don’t know if I can keep supporting you.”
The call ended with Ellie in tears. For the first time, she questioned whether her revenge was worth losing everything — and everyone — she had left.
Yet the fire inside her refused to die. She opened her notebook and added new names to her list. The game was far from over.
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