The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 282

And most of all, I couldn’t let Bianca win.

I pushed off the wall and started walking without really paying attention to where I was going. My mind was spinning, trying to come up with some kind of solution. Maybe I could appeal to the board. Maybe I could—

I rounded the corner and nearly collided with someone. Strong hands steadied me, and I looked up to find Callum staring down at me.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. His eyes were wide, his expression unreadable. Then he stepped back like I’d burned him.

“Sorry,” he muttered, already turning to leave.

“Wait!” I grabbed his sleeve. “Callum, please. I need to talk to you.”

He stopped but didn’t turn around. “I’m busy.”

“You’re always busy these days,” I muttered. “What’s going on with you? Why are you avoiding me? I thought we made up.”

“I’m not—”

“Don’t lie to me.” I stepped around him, forcing him to look at me. “Ever since the banquet, you’ve been acting like I don’t exist all over again. You keep doing this over and over again and it’s eating me alive. Did I do something wrong, or do you just hate me?”

His jaw tightened. He looked away, staring at some point over my shoulder. “You didn’t do anything wrong. And no, I don’t hate you.”

“Then what is it?”

For a long moment, he didn’t answer. Then, finally, he met my eyes. “You shouldn’t be near me, Liora. I won’t talk to you anymore. And frankly, I’m… I think it’s good that you’ll have to repeat next semester. Means we won’t see each other as much.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My wolf suddenly surged out of nowhere, creating a sharp, painful pang in my chest that made me gasp. I pressed my hand to my sternum, trying to breathe through it.

“What… what do you mean?” I whispered.

“I mean exactly what I said.” His voice was cold an detached. “It’s better this way. For both of us.”

“Liooora!”

Zane’s voice suddenly made me turn. I saw him striding toward me, smiling, his hands stuffed into his pockets. I wanted to tell him that now was not the time, but he spoke before I could.

“I’ve been looking all over for you,” he said.

“Why?” I folded my arms and glared at him, making it perfectly clear that I was not in the mood for his antics. But then his expression turned somewhat sheepish.

“So, uh…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I sorta failed my written exam. I was hoping you could help me study. Maybe we could even strike up a deal, if you know what I mean.”

My brows lifted. I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see Callum standing there wanting to know what Zane meant.

But Callum was gone.