The Billionaire's Obsession

Chapter 3

Juniper's Pov

Five years ago.

I storm down the hall of the dorm rooms, my shoes clicking sharply against the polished floor, my heart pounding with a mixture of anger and hurt. I reach Theodore’s room, barely pausing to knock before pushing the door open and stepping inside. He looks up at me a little startled, but then a wide smile spreads on his face as he makes his way over to me. I stop him by holding up my hand as I stride in, my eyes blazing with fury.

"Theodore, what the f*ck did you do?" I say, my voice barely controlled, "I need to know why you would do this to me. Why you thought it was okay to betray me like that."

Theodore’s face shifts from surprise and happy to utterly confusion. "Juniper, what are you talking about?"

"The video," I say, my voice breaking slightly. "Our private night, there is a video of it, and it is all over social media. What were you thinking making a video of us without my consent and then posting it all over social media. It’s humiliating, and I never thought you’d be the one to make me feel like this."

Theodore’s face goes pale. "Juniper, I swear, I had nothing to do with that," he stammers, taking a step closer, hands raised in defense. "I would never do that to you. Let me see this."

I hesitate, my eyes searching his face for any sign of deceit. I pull out my phone, showing him the evidence, the video that’s already been shared and viewed by far too many people. He stares at it, his expression twisting in disbelief and anger.

"Juniper, I’m telling you, I didn’t do this," he says, looking me straight in the eyes. "Someone must have broken into my room and planted the camera without my knowledge. I would never, ever make a video not to mention post something so personal."

"Just stop lying to me! I heard you talking to your friends about the bet. I can't believe I was stupid enough to ever think you were interested in me and that I meant something to you, or that our night together was something more than another notch on your belt!" I say raising my voice and shaking my head.

Theodore tries touching me again and I move out of his reach as I say, "Don't you dear touch me!"

"Juniper, please let me explain."

"Why so you can tell even more lies to my face?"

"I don't know what you heard about the bet. I admit that when I first started to pursue you it was because of a bet. But once I got to know you, all I cared about was you and making you happy. I never thought I could fall this hard for someone. And our night together meant everything to me."

"See everything out of your mouth is a lie. I never once deceived you and I gave you my virginity for godsake!"

Theodore get down on his knees begging as he says, "Please, please, believe me. I will do anything to prove myself to you."

My shoulders sink, uncertainty clouding my anger. I want to believe him. Our night had been private, an important and magical moment meant to stay between us. But now, that trust feels shattered, and it’s hard to separate the truth from the betrayal I feel so deeply.

"Then who did this, Theodore?" I ask quietly, my voice strained. "Because right now, it’s hard not to feel like I’ve lost everything, to someone I thought I could trust."

Theodore steps forward, reaching for my hands but I pull away again. "I’ll find out. I promise. I’ll do everything I can to make this right, Juniper. We’ll get to the bottom of this."

I turn away from Theo running my hands through my hair before saying, "I am sorry, I don't know what to believe right now. I just need some time."

I walk through campus with my head held high, but I can feel the weight of every stare, the whispers that follow me as I pass groups of students gathered in the hallways and on the quad. Some glance at me with sympathy, others with curiosity, and some with barely disguised judgment. I can hear snippets of conversations, my name whispered behind hands and darting eyes.

I fight the urge to look down or turn around, instead, I focus on putting one foot in front of the other, determined to project strength, even though every step feels heavier than the last. Inside, my stomach churns with a cocktail of shame, anger, and hurt. This was supposed to be a private moment, an intimate part of my life, shared only with someone I trusted deeply. But now, it feels as though the entire college knows more about me than I wanted anyone to know.

As I round a corner, I spot a group of friends who pause their conversation the moment they see me. One of them looks away awkwardly, while another gives me a look of pity. I force a tight smile and keep walking, but the loneliness of the situation weighs on me. My phone buzzes in my pocket, another notification, another reminder that my world has been turned upside down. I don't even need to look to know it's another message, either someone apologizing or someone gossiping. Neither feels helpful.

Determined to make it through the day, I head to my next class and settle into my seat, feeling the eyes of classmates on me. I focus on my notebook, trying to drown out the whispers, to convince myself that I can rise above this. I tell myself that this won’t define me, that somehow, someday, people will forget. But for now, in this moment, it’s nearly impossible to shake the feeling that everything has changed.

I hear my name over the intercom calling me to the dean's office. The snickers and whispers start up again as I stand up and make my way to the dean's office.

I sit in the Dean’s office, my fingers laced tightly together in my lap as I try to calm the nervous racing of my heart. The Dean sits across from me, his face serious, with none of the warmth I usually saw when we spoke. This wasn’t a typical meeting. I can feel it in the air, the weight, the tension that I didn’t yet fully understand.

"Juniper," he begins, folding his hands on his desk, "I’m sure you’re aware of the recent... incident involving you."

I nod stiffly, not trusting my voice to speak. The shame and anger simmering inside are almost too much to bear, but I stay quiet, waiting for him to continue.

"Unfortunately," he says, his tone cold and clinical, "this situation has brought unwanted attention to the college. This kind of scandal is damaging to the institution, and, given the circumstances, your actions have put the college’s reputation at risk."

My breath catches, a chill spreading through me as I begin to grasp where this is going.

"We’ve had to make some difficult decisions. I regret to inform you that your scholarship will be revoked, effective immediately." He pauses, watching my reaction. "This is not a reflection of your academic performance, which has been outstanding. But we have to consider the broader impact on the school community."

My world seems to shatter in that instant. My scholarship is everything, my lifeline, my only means of continuing my education at this school. Without it, my dreams, my plans for the future, my ambitions...they all start slipping away, scattering like sand through my fingers. I feel my throat tighten, and I struggle to hold back tears.

"But...but this wasn’t my fault," I manage, my voice a whisper. "I didn’t choose for this to happen. I’m the victim here."

The Dean nods, his expression barely softening. "I understand that, Juniper. But we also have to consider the integrity and reputation of the institution."

I want to argue, to scream that this is unfair, that I deserve the education I worked so hard for. But I can see the finality in his expression, the unyielding decision that’s already been made.

As I leave the office, the reality sinks in, my scholarship, my future at this school, my dreams everything I've worked so hard for is slipping away. And I am being punished for something I never wanted, for a betrayal that wasn’t mine to bear.