Ophelia Gets Thrown Out (Ophelia) novel Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Clenching her jaw in hidden frustration, Zoe forced herself to maintain her fragile demeanor. “Ophelia, I’m sorry. I spoke out of turn. Can you ever forgive me?”

Ophelia studied her with detached amusement. The girl never missed a chance to perform.

A faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched Ophelia’s lips as she paused, as if genuinely considering the request. “Alright. Let’s hear it, then.”

“I…” Zoe stared, momentarily speechless.

This wasn’t how the script was supposed to go. Ophelia was meant to dismiss her apology coldly, not actually demand one.

Yet Ophelia’s demeanor remained unnervingly composed, giving no hint of anger.

“Changed your mind?” Ophelia shrugged lightly. “No matter. Empty apologies aren’t worth much anyway.”

“No, it’s not that!” Zoe protested quickly.

She drew a shaky breath, composing her features into a mask of contrition. “I truly am sorry. I spoke without thinking.” “Okay.” Ophelia acknowledged this with a slight nod, offering neither acceptance nor rejection.

Encouraged by the silence, Zoe ventured further, layering her tone with artificial warmth. “I really am glad you joined the advanced class. I just got nervous and said the wrong thing.”

“So you’re saying you’re happy I’m here?” Ophelia raised a brow, her lips curving in a subtle, mocking arc that felt like a blade twisting in Zoe’s chest.

She was being played. The realization ignited a silent fury within her, yet she had no choice but to maintain the facade. “Of course,” Zoe replied, sweetly emphatic. “We’re sisters, after all.”

The cloying sincerity in her voice was almost impressive. Ophelia found herself grudgingly respecting the sheer durability of Zoe’s act.

Daphne snorted in disgust. “You’re pathetic. No wonder she treats you like a doormat.”

“No, Daphne, it’s not like that. Ophelia hasn’t done anything to me,” Zoe insisted, shaking her head with practiced distress. But her frantic denials only reinforced the impression of a victim too intimidated to tell the truth.

Having always known Zoe had a flair for the dramatic, Ophelia wasn’t surprised in the least.

She didn’t even grace Zoe with a glance, instead leveling a cool stare at Daphne. “Maybe don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong next time. You just end up looking like a fool.”

“Who are you calling a fool?” Daphne snapped, instantly bristling at the dig.

Ophelia tilted her chin up, her tone matter-of-fact. “Isn’t it obvious? You.”

Daphne’s face darkened. She stood there, seething, her hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at her sides.

The insult burned, festering with each passing second until she finally snapped. “How dare you!” she shrieked, launching herself at Ophelia. “You’ll pay for that!”

“Oh my god!” A collective gasp rippled through the classroom as the scene erupted into chaos.

Daphne charged at Ophelia with her fingers splayed like claws, her movements uncontrolled and frantic. In a fluid, almost effortless motion, Ophelia sidestepped the attack, her expression cool and unflinching.

Unable to stop her momentum, Daphne stumbled forward and crashed hard into a desk, sending it and herself sprawling across the floor.

The entire incident lasted only seconds, leaving the classroom in a state of stunned silence.

Those who had initially been concerned for Ophelia now watched Daphne with a mixture of pity and disbelief.

A moment later, the quiet was broken by Daphne’s shrill, piercing scream.

Just then, Jameson reentered the room, followed by Jaxon and several other students.

“What’s all this noise?” Jameson demanded, his voice sharp with irritation. But his expression shifted to confusion as he took in the chaotic scene.

The class president, Jaxon Lewis, equally taken aback, stepped forward and asked, “Daphne, what happened?”

They had only been gone a few minutes to collect books, and now Daphne was lying disheveled on the floor.

Scrambling to her feet, her face flushed with anger and humiliation, Daphne pointed a trembling finger at Ophelia. “She

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Chapter 87

pushed me!”

Ophelia arched a brow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Seriously? You’re going to play it like that? Maybe use your head before you speak. Everyone here saw you lunge at me.”

“It’s true, Mr. Wells. We all saw it,” one student spoke up, voice firm with conviction.

“That’s right. We can testify,” others quickly chimed in, their support for Ophelia clear. Daphne’s attempt to twist the truth only deepened their disdain.

“I…” Daphne’s face flushed with fury.

She had tried to pull back after missing Ophelia, but it felt like something had caught her foot, sending her tumbling

Gritting her teeth, she insisted, “She tripped me! That’s the only reason I fell.”

Ophelia shrugged, her expression one of pure innocence. “All I did was move. If you lost your balance, that’s on you. Don’t go blaming others for your own clumsiness.”

“I saw the whole thing. Ophelia just stepped aside. How could she have tripped her?”

“Yeah, sounds like she tripped over her own feet.”

A wave of mocking laughter followed.

No one had approved of Daphne’s outburst, and her blatant lie only made things worse. Voices rose in Ophelia’s defense. Surrounded by the class’ unwavering support for Ophelia and their scornful amusement, Daphne felt utterly humiliated and powerless.

She couldn’t comprehend how, in just a short time, her classmates had turned against her and united behind Ophelia. “Enough,” Jameson cut through the noise, his voice firm. His gaze shifted between Ophelia and the disheveled Daphne before settling into a stern expression. “Daphne, apologize to Ophelia.”

“Apologize? To her?” Daphne’s voice rose sharply, her face flushed with fury.

The demand felt profoundly unjust. She was the one who had been humiliated, the one lying on the floor.

“Physical aggression is never acceptable. Consider this a lesson, and remember to treat your classmates with respect,” Jameson continued, his tone firm yet measured.

Daphne’s chest heaved, a sharp, aching tightness forming beneath her ribs. She was trembling with fury.

“Why does no one believe me?” she shouted, her voice cracking with frustration and hurt.

A faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched Ophelia’s lips. ‘Can’t even handle a little lesson like this?’ she thought. “Daphne,” Jaxon interjected gently, “nearly the whole class witnessed what happened. Even if we take your word for it, you were the one who acted first. An apology is only right.”

“You’re all… so unfair!” Choked by tears of rage and humiliation, Daphne spuh around and fled the classroom.

Jaxon stood bewildered, unsure what he had said to upset her further.

Ophelia glanced sideways at Zoe, her tone cool and detached. “Aren’t you going after her?”

Zoe flinched, avoiding eye contact. “No, it’s fine. What Daphne did was wrong anyway. Maybe some time alone will do her good.”

Ophelia gave a noncommittal shrug and looked away. “Well, since you agree she was in the wrong, you should talk to her during break. Try to talk some sense into her.”

Zoe’s mouth twitched irritably, but she forced herself to remain silent.