Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the main academic block, the crowded hallway was thick with the midday rush of students changing classes. Bella was walking briskly toward the exit, her books clutched tightly against her chest as she tried to put as much distance between herself and the courtyard as humanly possible. Her heart was still hammering against her ribs, her mind spinning from the sheer absurdity of the public spectacle she had just been dragged into.
"Bella! Stop walking."
A heavy, commanding voice cut through the ambient noise of the corridor.
Bella didn't stop. In fact, she accelerated her pace, her sneakers squeaking sharply against the polished floorboards.
Within a fraction of a second, a massive, towering shadow fell over her. Ethan stepped into her path, his long, p
