I didn't possess heightened hearing, but I was certain I hadn't misheard. This guy, this damned ex-boyfriend, was demanding his girlfriend do his assignment?
"Why in the world would I do your assignment?" I challenged.
"Because you promised to," he stated, his expression utterly righteous. He looked as if this was the most reasonable complaint in the world. "Did you really think I would come back to you when you can't even handle finishing my assignment?"
I let out a harsh, skeptical laugh. "And do you think I would ever come back to you after you cheated on me?"
"Of course you would. Who else would want you?" His tone dripped with such confident superiority that I was tempted to punch that handsome face. "A defective omega like you will only ever be a mistress. I'm being magnanimous by offering to take you back."
He puffed up his chest, standing rigidly. "I'll forgive you for that little slap the other day—you must have been surprised to see us. But I won't forgive you if you don't submit my assignment now! Do you hear me?!" He yapped on.
I clearly heard every word. And his arrogance finally purged the last lingering shred of feeling I had for him.
My eyes were completely open now. I finally saw what was truly in his mind, what he really thought of me.
The smart, kind, and wise Oscar vanished in an instant. It turned out to be nothing but a shallow facade.
This entire year felt like a pathetic joke, and I was the clown.
I had allowed myself to be fooled by his performance, and worse, I had allowed him to take the number one spot I had always held. I had grown soft because of him.
No wonder he hadn't made it into the best class, despite being a heir. He wasn't bright at all.
"Why don't you answer me?! Do my assignment right now!" he shouted.
He spluttered in my face, making me feel like throwing up.
Wiping my cheek with the back of my hand, I glared, channeling all my disgust into one loud shout, "Who wants to do it? Do it yourself!"
He actually stumbled back, his mouth forming a silent 'O' of shock.
I wouldn't humor him anymore. A cheater who tried to be arrogant was nothing more than an insect.
"Oscar Sanders, don't ever come near me or speak to me again. I am genuinely disgusted by you."
Without wasting another second, I left him gaping in the garden.
...
I lived my days as usual, blissfully free of the arrogant Oscar.
In class, every time our eyes met, we exchanged glares. His gaze was fierce, like I was his long-time enemy. I knew exactly why.
Once I focused entirely on myself and stopped helping him, his scores plummeted.
Teachers questioned him several times about his sudden slump. He never achieved a perfect score anymore. Problems that he used to solve with ease were now the hardest questions on the board.
Meanwhile, I swept every assignment, earning perfect marks. He only outranked me in subjects that required physical prowess.
Despite the rumors and the mocking, I was rocketing straight back to the top.
A week before the mid-term exam, he suddenly appeared, stopping me right outside the dorm building.
"I'm going to give you one last chance, Clarissa," he stated, adjusting his posture. "I'll accept you again. I'll even acknowledge you as my girlfriend in front of everyone."
Oscar still looked handsome with his curly, sand-colored hair, but whenever I saw him, I had to suppress a laugh.
In my head, his existence had become a joke.
"What about your fated mate?" I asked back. Not because I was interested, but because I wanted to hear the depths of his audacity.
"She can still be my girlfriend. The two of you can be my girlfriends."
"And what do you need me to do to earn this 'last chance'?"
"Give me your summary book," he replied, utterly confident.
My summary book was my most prized possession.
It wasn't just a summary of every lesson; it highlighted the key concepts, the critical areas, and the precise parts that would be featured in the tests.
I knew he had only maintained his first rank because of that book.
"PUHAHA!"
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. His plan was too funny, too transparent.
I couldn't understand why I had ever fallen for him.
Perhaps, deep down, I was simply longing for someone who saw me, who prioritized me. That was how he'd slipped past my defenses.
"Why are you laughing?" His brows furrowed into deep ridges.
I stopped laughing and gave him a serious, cold stare. "Don't joke with me, Oscar. Our relationship ended the moment I caught you cheating on me. Don't look for me again."
As I walked away, I saw his expression change. It wasn't the look of an enemy anymore; it was the predatory gaze of a wolf sizing up its prey.
Though, that didn't bother me at all.
...
As I predicted, I finally reclaimed my first rank. I topped my class and also secured the highest score among all classes in my grade, excluding only the best class students.
Meanwhile, Oscar didn't even scrape the top ten in our class.
Rumors started spreading again, and one of it centered on me.
"Everyone saw clearly that Oscar's scores were falling even before this mid-term test. How could there possibly be a rumor that you stole his summary book, and that's what caused his score to drop?" Nadia huffed, annoyed.
"Ignore it. They're just jealous," I shrugged it off.
I was accustomed to rumors. This one wouldn't break me. The teachers, too, sided with me. No one suspected me of cheating or theft.
However, the real problem didn't come from sane people. It came from the fools who only believed what they wanted to believe.
After the last class ended, Fina and a few of her cronies swaggered toward me, their faces haughty.
"Not only did you spread rumors about your relationship with Oscar, but now, because he rejected you, you stole his summary book?!" Fina screamed, drawing the attention of every student in the hallway.
I looked at them, realizing they were beyond saving, and turned to walk away.
But one of Fina's cronies grabbed my shoulder.
"Akh!" I shrieked. The pain was shocking and immediate. Their strength, that of a fully awakened wolf, was no match for an omega without one.
"Don't try to run away!" Fina snapped.
I had no choice but to face them. While trying to twist free, I glared fiercely at all of them. "Don't make a fool of yourselves!"
My hot gaze made Fina flinch momentarily, but she quickly masked it.
"Don't look at me with your filthy purple eyes!"
...