Daryl’s words had been the final straw that broke her sister’s spirit.

Compared to Raymond, Daryl was even more repulsive—so much so that just thinking about him made Angelique feel sick.

She took the empty seat beside him, tilting her head slightly as she flashed a polite, friendly smile.

“I look forward to learning from you.”

Even if she was just a lowly scholarship student, Daryl wouldn’t outright reject a girl’s goodwill.

“Likewise.” His tone was amicable, but there was an unmistakable distance in his smile.

“Tsk, another seductive little fox.” The voice dripped with contempt.

Angelique turned to the source—it was Daphne.

She was twirling a metal pen between her fingers, legs crossed, making no effort to hide the disgust in her eyes.

“What are you looking at? Do you really think a filthy nobody like you has the right to look at me?”

Daphne had been in a foul mood all morning. She had taken the time to style her hair and perfect her makeup, all in hopes of seeing Raymond. Yet, she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of him.

To make matters worse, a scholarship student had transferred in.

A parasite in Class A! The kind she despised the most.

And of all things, this one had the audacity to be pretty.

Even if she refused to admit it, Daphne couldn’t ignore how stunning Angelique’s face was.

Angelique shrank slightly in her seat, avoiding further provocation. She busied herself by taking things out of her backpack one by one.

Then, suddenly—a metal ID badge slipped out and clattered onto the marble floor with a sharp, piercing sound.

The noise immediately caught Daphne’s attention.

It was a minor incident, nothing of note—yet Angelique inhaled sharply as if she had been caught committing a crime. She hastily crouched down, pressing a hand over the name on the badge as if trying to hide it.

The more she tried to conceal it, the more curious others became.

She could feel Daphne’s prying gaze boring into her back.

Beneath the curtain of her dark hair, Angelique’s lips curled ever so slightly.

—

When lunchtime arrived, Angelique casually stepped out of the classroom.

As she passed by the window, she caught sight of Daphne heading toward her desk.

Satisfied, she continued on her way.

She ran all the way to the greenhouse, but no matter where she looked, Raymond was nowhere to be found.

“So, he’s already gone?” she muttered to herself, a trace of disappointment in her voice.

“Well, well. Didn’t expect the uniform to suit you this well.”

A familiar, lazy voice echoed from above.

Angelique looked up—just in time to see a figure in white leap down from the tree, landing gracefully right in front of her.

His sharp, striking features invaded her field of vision, momentarily stunning her.

She took a couple of steps back in reflex only to stumble.

The heels of her leather shoes wobbled beneath her, and she pitched backward.

But before she could hit the ground, a strong arm caught her by the waist.

Raymond had steadied her.

Heart still pounding, she let out a shaky breath and lifted her face, her bright eyes locking onto his.

“Mr. Ainsworth, thank you! You’ve already helped me twice today.”

Raymond said nothing.

Instead, he cupped her face, pulling it closer.

His thumb traced lightly along the edge of her eye, watching as her lashes trembled, as unshed tears pooled at the corners.

A single drop spilled over, sliding down his thumb and trailing along the back of his hand, leaving a damp, glistening streak in its wake.

“Angelique, did you forget?” His voice was low, teasing. “You’re my slave. You should be calling me ‘Master.’”

“Huh? You know my name?”

Raymond gave her a look as if she were the biggest fool alive.

“Did you forget my name?” His voice was light and playful. His hands, however, had already found their way behind her ear, toying with her soft, round earlobe, rolling it gently between his fingers.

Whether it was because of Raymond’s words or the physiological reaction to his touch, Angelique’s legs turned weak, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

At the breaking point of her composure, she finally whimpered like a helpless kitten, “Master...”

Every subtle change in her expression was seared into Raymond’s memory. He reveled in this kind of amusement.

“So, what did you come to find me for?” he asked.

Angelique snapped back to reality. She reached into her pocket, only for her face to darken moment by moment.

“Oh no! I think I lost your badge.”

Watching her panic over such a trivial matter, Raymond only found her naivety amusing.

Smiling lightly, he said, “It’s just a badge. If it’s lost, then it’s lost.”

Angelique bit her lip and nodded obediently. That was when she noticed the small droplets of blood splattered on the ground.

“You’re hurt.”

Raymond glanced at the cut on his left wrist, utterly unconcerned. “It’s nothing.”

“That won’t do!”

The innocent little bunny from moments ago suddenly placed her hands on her hips, pouting in dissatisfaction.

Angelique pulled a Hello Kitty band-aid from her pocket and carefully placed it over his wound.

“Make sure you go to the infirmary later to disinfect it. This is just to keep bacteria away for now. If you leave a scar, that delicate skin of yours won’t look as nice anymore.”

Raymond chuckled. “You’re not worried about my safety—just my looks?”

His teasing tone made Angelique’s face flush bright red. She fumbled for an explanation, “The wound isn’t serious enough to affect your health... I just...”

Halfway through her defense, she gave up and pouted. “Fine, I was wrong.”

“Hmm?”

“...Master.”

“Good girl. Go back for now. I’ll give you a little reward tomorrow.”

With his permission, Angelique bolted away in a flustered escape.

To Raymond, though, it looked more like a shy retreat.

—

Before she even stepped into the classroom, Angelique could tell something was wrong.

The curtains were all drawn, the back door was locked, leaving only the front door slightly ajar.

Daphne was even more impatient than she had expected.

Angelique knew what awaited her, yet she still pushed the door open without hesitation.

The moment she stepped inside—a bucket of ice-cold water came crashing down, drenching her completely.

A gust of wind swept through the room, making her shiver violently. Water droplets clung to her eyelashes, blurring her vision.

Before she could react, a sharp slap landed on her cheek.

Daphne grabbed a fistful of her wet hair, yanking her closer.

“You shameless slut!” she spat. “First day here, and you’re already trying to seduce Raymond? And stealing his badge too? Do you even know he’s mine? Who gave you the guts to compete with me for him?”

Tears welled up in Angelique’s eyes as she desperately tried to explain, “No, it’s not like that! I ran into Young Master Raymond in the greenhouse and happened to find it there—I swear I didn’t steal it!”

At the mention of the greenhouse, Daphne’s expression twisted with rage.

“You mean to tell me you set foot in the greenhouse? Do you have any idea it’s Raymond’s forbidden place? Who do you think you are to step in there?!”

Though her words were sharp, Angelique knew the real reason for Daphne’s breakdown—it wasn’t about the greenhouse.

It was the fact that she had encountered Raymond there and had suffered no consequences for it.

Still, she tried to defend herself, “I swear, it was an accident! I didn’t mean to! And Mr. Ainsworthn never said anything about it-”

Just as Daphne’s hand was about to strike again—someone grabbed her wrist mid-air.

Daphne turned in disbelief to see the one who had stopped her. “Daryl, you’re taking this slut’s side too?”

Daryl’s calm gaze remained unfazed, his tone cold as he spoke. “Class is about to start. You just dealt with that person not long ago and caused enough trouble for yourself. Do you really want your father to come after you again?”

Hearing his words, Daphne gritted her teeth in frustration and flung her hand to the side.

Her undisguised, hateful glare landed on Angelique as she spat out a vicious warning, “Consider yourself lucky today. But if I ever catch you trying to seduce Raymond again, I’ll make sure you have nowhere to bury your corpse!”

Angelique, drenched from head to toe, had no choice but to skip class and head to the locker room to change.

Once she confirmed no one else was around, she could no longer hold back her laughter.

She looked into the mirror, her eyes still red from crying, the slap mark burning against her pale skin—each and every wound now became perfect, irrefutable evidence she could use.

A knock on the door.

“Ms. Monroe, are you alright?” It was Daryl’s voice.

Composing herself, Angelique stepped out.

In his hands, he held a fresh set of school uniforms and a towel. The cold indifference in his eyes from earlier had vanished, replaced by a gentle smile on his clean, handsome face.

“Change into this so you don’t catch a cold. Afterward, I’ll take you to get your face treated.”

Angelique lowered her gaze, her long lashes quivering like dark feathers. The next moment, tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Thank you Mr. Thompson...”

Daryl affectionately brushed his hand against her forehead. “Alright now, go in and change before you really get sick.”

“...Okay.” Angelique nodded. However, the moment she turned around, the warmth in both their eyes vanished at the same time.

A knight standing up for the weak—this fairytale-like act could make any girl fall. Just like her sister did back then.

But from the moment she stepped into the room, Angelique had been watching Daryl carefully.

That expression of his—one of mere amusement—had shifted the moment he heard Raymond’s name. First, a hint of intrigue. Then, when he realized she hadn’t been targeted by Raymond, his hidden smirk completely disappeared.

The person he mentioned to Daphne was her sister.

Anyone who had ties to Raymond was nothing more than a tool for him to exploit.

Did Daryl really think he could use the same trick on her again?

This time, she would make him pay in blood.

—

After changing into the clean uniform, Angelique followed Daryl toward the infirmary.

“How do you know Raymond?” His tone was light, as if he were casually asking what she had for lunch.

“There were too many people on the main path today, so I decided to take a shortcut through the garden to the teaching building. I accidentally stumbled into a greenhouse and met him there.”

Angelique tilted her fair face, blinking innocently. “Is there something wrong? Why do you ask?”

“No reason. Just... he seems to treat you differently.” Daryl’s voice trailed off, almost as if he were talking to himself.

Before she could respond, the infirmary door swung open.

Inside, Raymond was lying on the bed, eyes closed in feigned sleep.

His brows furrowed instinctively at the sound of intruders, irritation flashing across his sharp features. But the moment he realized it was Angelique, the cold malice in his eyes was replaced by a flicker of surprise.

“...What are you doing here?”

Angelique’s expression was a mix of shock and delight, completely unguarded.

For a moment, she was surprised that the most unruly young master had actually listened to her and came to the infirmary to get his wound treated. However, she recalled that Daryl was standing right behind her.

If this led to Raymond’s displeasure, things could turn ugly.

Before she could even answer, he spoke again—

“Who hit you?”