Ana's POV
Turning my head, I met Thomas's strikingly handsome gaze, recalling that the school had invited him and he was here today.
Nobody had anticipated Thomas would defend me. This was a mess where even regular people would stay away, yet here he was—a superstar of his caliber—boldly diving into the chaos.
"Is Thomas really backing her up?" someone whispered.
"Maybe there's more going on here?"
"When things get this messy, you protect yourself first," another voice chimed in. "Why would a celebrity risk everything for Ana?"
"This keeps getting better."
The crowd seemed to forget their earlier fear, completely captivated by the spectacle unfolding—a suspected killer, a rich family's secrets, and a famous actor picking sides. Each revelation was more explosive than the last.
Aileen looked just as stunned that Thomas would shield me. "Mr. Vernon," she said nervously, "this has nothing to do with you. As someone in the public eye, you really should stay out of this."
