THE BATTLE OF LOVE AND DESTINY

CHAPTER SEVEN - WHISPERS OF JEALOUS HEARTS

Kate returned to the campus more focused on her academics and emotionally stable. She now cultivates a new discipline in life, academics, and personal growth. She often looked at herself in her mirror and said to herself that she was determined to succeed.

She had finally quit clubbing and bad friends and had embraced her books. She had also renounced friends who made her lose focus and disappear when she fell from grace.

Davies guided her and brushed her up thoroughly for the upcoming examination. Besides, he prepared her thoroughly for the entire make-up tests she had missed and guided her towards resubmitting all assignments missed.

The frequency and intensity of her tutorials have also increased, and he is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that she passes her forth-coming final examinations with astounding success.

Kate and Davies became closer than before, and it became so noticeable among many students on the campus, breeding jealousy in some quarters.

In class, Kate took notes with a renewed zeal and focus that she never knew she possessed. Her classmates she had long ignored were amazed at her resilience even as she studied beside them. She also offered help in areas she knew very well and did not hesitate to accept guidance in return. The discipline she now cultivates has made her shun pride and extravagance.

Kate and Davies were still working together steadily. They regularly discuss coursework, exchanged study tips, and sometimes share a meal in the campus canteen. Yet, Davies did not give room for romantic exploration, although he remained kind, supportive, and focused on achieving his academic goals.

Although the romantic tension had reduced in Kate, it still remained unresolved. For Kate, it hurt, but she had learnt to measure her worth not by the attention she received from Davies, but by the evaluation of her own achievements.

Rumors about Kate as the campus queen who shook the campus flaunting her father's wealth have faded. Students now whisper about her comeback with renewed determination and resilience.

One day, Rita, the daughter of a billionaire CEO, confronted Kate, having heard about her closeness with Davies. She and Kate were once rivals in luxury and the flaunting of wealth. Rita had sought every opportunity to befriend Davies but was met with stiff resistance.

She now wondered how Kate, who was once a spoiled brat, could penetrate his heart and gained his love with ease. She began plotting Kate's downfall and looked for every opportunity to bring her down via her various connections.

One evening, she met Kate at the university's gate and began to mock her, claiming that she had become so humble with a tattered look, all because of a poor dude.

Kate was speechless and wasn't in the mood to reply to her. "I know you know he belonged to me. We still met, talked, and kissed each other at a cinema house in town not quite long ago."

That statement forced words out of Kate, "It is a lie. Get yourself out of my way and never cross my path again,'' she moved away from her presence.

Later that night, Kate was wondering if the accusation against Davies was true and whether he was truly who he professed to be. She was contemplating ignoring the accusation, but her mind was never at rest. She then decided to confront him.

The next day, he met Davies in class and asked him whether he and Rita were in any relationship. He replied her quietly with a calm appearance, "I've never touched her.” An unusual silence ensured between them, and Davies said, "But if you believe I did, you've never trusted me." He didn't respond harshly or raised his voice.

However, his gentle words pierced Kate, and she immediately perceived that the demon worrying Rita is jealousy and silently said to herself, "I need to be careful, otherwise, I'll ruin everything I have been rebuilding."

Among the friends in the noble circle of Kate before meeting Davies is Thompson. He had been longing to befriend Kate then, but she usually declined her requests and wouldn’t want to be controlled by anyone. To Thompson, Kate was a big girl and the daughter of a billionaire who would make a good companion with him. He became furious since Kate became inconsistent and eventually left the circle.

He had visited her several times to appeal to her to come back to the circle she once created and enjoyed, but Kate didn't yield and found no reason to join them anymore. According to her, she wouldn't go far in her academics if she continued to flaunt around with them.

Thompson, who was very angry at Kate's attitude, became more jealous when she heard that Kate and Davies were in a relationship. She couldn't believe her eyes until she saw them on the campus one day. Having investigated Davies, he concluded that he was too small to compete with him, and should be taught a lesson for hijacking his girlfriend.

Upon further equities, Thomson discovered that Davies was a modest scholar, and his counsel was what made Kate recover and have a new change of life, which had made her turn her back to the noble circle she had founded herself. This further fueled his anger, and he planned to descend heavily on Davies.

Thompson consulted a notorious gang outsiders the campus. He didn't use students because he wanted to conceal the deal. The men were hoodlums who were experts in perpetrating various atrocities upon hiring. He called, and a venue for the meeting was fixed.

Drunk and under the influence of drugs, he made a desperate bargain with them even as they were smoking cigarettes.

Determined to reach out to a lot of students who needed help with their academics, Davies organized a tutorial class at the literacy centre outside the campus premises. He established this as a give away to his fellow final year students.

One particular day, he took the tutorials and everyone had left the venue except him and Kate. As he finished attending to Kate that night, and they were about to leave, he noticed a black SUV parked unusually close. Its glasses were tinted, and it seemed nobody was inside it.

He glanced at the black SUV one more time, still parked and still silent. Its tinted windows reflected the faint glow of the streetlights. “Probably, nothing so special,” he murmured. However, as they turned away, a shadow moved inside the car, and Davies began to suspect that something strange was about to happen.