le

ne m

o breathe. The principal's words con

ella-as you all once knew her.

ened. Then, every head slowly turned t

oman in the c

ds Is

't look

er wine glass caref

l made a s

s with effortless grace. Smo

st

belong on a runway. The room watched in comp

ic

ic

ic

heels echoed ac

ose footsteps had anno

ootsteps of someone the

yes never

ucien mutte

stage, his usually composed exp

g to arrange a private me

turned towar

humourless smile.

They rejected the

jected e

whistle. "So... the w

ire who waits months to

them l

ning, the Moretti brothers

at Isabella wi

iterature, whispered shakily, "I..

d at her in disbelief

ked horrified.

"I remember her staying after cl

etly added, "She never

ow she's one of the most famo

led over the faculty

ly noticed. Had become the

among the

ao

wa

as Isa

s impo

ree Bee h

uys Bee suits

t months for a

letely pale. Her hands shook

he whispere

ing..." Her friend lo

ullied

didn't

e sudd

crue

y ru

h from hig

d to ha

incipal greeted

s genuine. "

ck. "Thank you, Pr

ed gently throu

o

a

eg

very word perfectly. The

nder his breath to his friend, "

him immediately. "K

an embarrassed co

remained fixe

had

er life. Confidence h

er vo

still unmistak

a

nt

r ra

r hu

nce begged them to stop fighting

lifted the bla

to present Saint Augustine

ned th

edal engraved with the school's c

use e

any applause

le s

che

class

ess l

The applause continued for nearly a minute.

head politel

amati

rrog

t to impr

iet gra

carefully. "She

frowned

lowly. "She's

s. "Which somehow mak

epped aside. "Th

podium. Adjusted the microphone s

over hundreds o

che

ie

ang

class

brief

d over Aiden a

simply continued look

she s

smile. "Good eve

ai

soft

quiet that even the rai

wasn't exp

people

gh. "I almost couldn

nce. "My team kept reminding me that my

smi

ut

"...Saint Augustine gave m

looked visi

importan

itte

ccus

th

ed being isolated. Never mention the rumours

he continu

oduced me to wond

owered their heads

ates who enco

exchanged gu

I didn't yet kno

closed

They knew the truth. Yet Isabella chose not to expose them. She p

She's giving them grac

didn't

al smile had

simply

ve been fortunate enough

mages of Bee fashion shows in P

eatedly. "But every jou

the school crest. "

the next generation of students b

iled w

continue to be ki

sentence la

who remembered exactly

ren't spoken

sar

ly h

eho

them hurt

le rose to their feet again. Teachers wiped awa

Isabella stood clapping enthusiastical

ed standing

chi

nki

e between the brothers. "I thou

ietly, "Instead,

ould have exposed every perso

d once. "And

rst time i

lves unable to fit Isabella into

they remembered

. But because she had become str

y display of revenge ever could. On stage, I

. Then she stepped away from the podium. The ballro

ause every person in the room had ju

from the last row

e legend that none