My Contract Marriage With The Billionaires

Chapter Four

The door clicked shut behind Alice, and I still stood rooted to the spot, frozen and unsure what to do. The room felt too quiet, too heavy, like even the air had changed. My chest felt tight, my heart beating fast like it wanted out

“What just happened?” I said correctly, even though no one was there to answer, I needed to know more, and there was only one person I could turn to— Austin. He always had what to say, what to do.

I slipped into the common area, finding a quiet corner where no one would notice me. My hands shook as I opened my laptop and opened my email.

Subject: Need your help

Austin, I hope you’re okay. Something’s really wrong.

I showed my friend that Zenith Picture—the one we edited together— and she looked terrified.

She ran out crying.

I feel awful. Do you know anything more about Zenith and this school?

Please reply when you get this.

—Anna

I hit send and stared at the screen, waiting. Minutes felt like hours. I refreshed my inbox, refreshed again. No reply. My stomach started to growl, a hollow ache reminding me I hadn’t eaten. But my body demanded food.

I forced myself to the cafeteria anyway, the buzz of conversation suddenly dropped, Heads turned my way, whispers flitted across the room. My cheeks went hot. Is there something on my face? I’m I looking weird? I wondered, ducking into the bathroom and checking myself in the mirror. Nothing. I looked…normal. Completely normal.

I kept my head down, grabbed an apple, and found an empty table in the far corner.

I took a bite, but I couldn’t taste it. All I could see was Alice’s tear-stained face. I had to find her so I left the half eaten apple on the table and practically ran to her dorm.

I knocked on her door, once, twice, my breath caught in my throat.

“Alice? It’s Anna. Please, can we talk? I’m so sorry.”

Silence.

I knocked again. “Alice, please, I don’t understand what I did.” I said, pressing my forehead against the wooden frame.

The door finally swung open, but it was her roommate— A girl with dark hair and pink pajamas stood there, someone I’d seen with Alice before.

“Can you just tell her I came by?” I asked, trying for a smile. “I’m Anna. I am her friend.” I said with a friendly face

The girl looked at me with a blank face,” Alice is not here”, she said flatly

“Okay, but when she comes back—“

Before I could finish, she shrugged and closed the door in my face. With my head bowed, I felt so sad that I immediately dragged myself back to my dorm.

I opened my door, and a wall of loud music hit me. Claire and Jess were in the room with two other friends. They were dancing and laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world

Jess bounced over, grinning. “Hey, gorgeous. You can’t sleep this early— come dance with us!”

I shook my head, voice soft. “Have you guys seen Alice?”

Claire rolled her eyes. “Don’t ruin the vibe, Anna.”

I didn’t ask again. I just slipped past them and sat on my bed, a new message blinked on the screen of my phone—it was my mom. I felt relief in my chest.

Mom: Hi, my little scientist! How are you? Have you met your fellow scientists?

Tears pricked my eyes. I typed back quickly

Me: Hi mom, I’m okay. I actually made a friend. Her name is Alice

I hesitated, then added:

Me: Mom, do you know anything about Dad’s old friends? From when he was younger?

The typing bubbles appeared, then disappeared. Then appeared again. Her reply was slow

Mom: I love you, Anna. Please tell me if you need anything at school. Bye!

She dodged it, and I knew when my mom didn’t want to tell me, she was clearly hiding something

Me: I love you too, Bye!

I couldn’t wait for the night to end, and luckily the next day came with a beautiful morning sunshine, as I walked heading to class, a girl with bright red hair together with her friends flanking her like bodyguards, cornered me near the back. One, with her arms crossed, sneered.

“You’re Anna, right?” She said, her voice cold.

“Yes my name is Anna?”

“Anna, stay away from my boyfriend.”

I blinked, completely confused. “What? I don’t even know who your boyfriend is.”

“Don’t play dumb,” she sneered. “I see the way you look at him. So you too think you’re a gorgeous blonde as they say? You think you can pull any guy?

Her words hit me like a slap. But then something inside me changed. Instead of shrinking back, I felt a calm settle over me, cool and steady—like my dad’s voice inside me.

“If your boyfriend is looking at me,” I said quietly, “maybe you should talk to him about that. Not me.”

Their mouths dropped open. I didn’t wait for a reply. I just walked away, my hands trembling even as my steps stayed steady.

Later that evening, as I was sitting on my bed reading a book and the music was off for once. Jess found me, and she sat on the edge of Claire’s bed across from me, swinging her legs.

“So”, she said, a teasing glint in her eye. “Do you also see that you’re the most beautiful nerd in the whole school?” she laughed

I laughed. “You’re crazy”

“But seriously,” she said, turning serious for once, “Anna why do you look so down?”

I set my book down and met her gaze, I hesitated. “Jess… why does everyone keep staring at me? It feels like I’m registered on some list or something. Like I’ve been here before and did something wrong.”

I swallowed hard. “And remember the picture you saw in my room? My friend saw it too, and since then, she’s been avoiding me, she even missed her class today. I feel…horrible.”

Jess’s smile slipped. She looked down at her hands, twisting them “I don’t know everything… but yeah. I was shocked when I saw it, too.”

“Shocked? Why? I leaned in, my curiosity sparking. “Is it, like…not allowed to have a Zenith Corp picture here?”

Jess hesitated, then leaned closer, her voice dropping. “Because my mom told me about it. About Zenith. And about this school.”

I swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”

Her eyes flickered to the Photo on my desk, then back to me. “Something bad happened here a few years ago.”

My throat tightened. “What happened? What kind of bad?”

Jess’s voice dropped to a whisper “It’s about Zenith Corp, and a student who died.”

She looked me dead in the eye, her usual playfulness gone. “And I think it’s the reason why your friend is avoiding you.”