Ethan met her gaze.
“Because people like Brett don’t usually stop after one try.”
His voice lowered.
“And I don’t like bullies.”
Something about the way he said it made her chest tighten.
After a moment of hesitation, she sighed.
“…Fine.”
—
Ten minutes later, Olivia sat in the passenger seat of Ethan’s car, staring out the window.
The silence was thick.
She still couldn’t wrap her head around what had just happened.
Finally, Ethan spoke.
“That video.”
Her head turned immediately.
“What about it?”
His hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel.
“I’ve seen the full clip.”
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
“What?”
“The version online is edited.”
Olivia stared at him.
“No. It’s not.”
“It is.”
“How would you know?”
Ethan glanced at her.
“Because I saw the original.”
Her breath caught.
“That’s impossible.”
But something in his expression said otherwise.
“You didn’t shove Sophia,” he said quietly.
“She ran into you.”
For a moment, Olivia couldn’t breathe.
He knows.
But then reality crashed back in.
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.
Ethan didn’t answer immediately.
They pulled up in front of her apartment building.
The engine shut off.
Silence filled the car again.
Finally, he turned toward her.
“Because you deserve to know the truth.”
Before Olivia could respond—
“ETHAN!”
A voice shouted across the street.
Both of them turned.
Jackson—the basketball team’s point guard—was jogging toward the car, looking furious.
He reached them and slapped his hands against the window.
Ethan sighed and opened the door.
“What are you doing here?” Jackson demanded.
“I dropped her off.”
Jackson glanced at Olivia.
Recognition flickered in his eyes.
Then his expression darkened.
“Are you serious right now?”
Ethan stiffened.
“Lower your voice.”
“No,” Jackson snapped. “Have you forgotten what happened to your cousin?”
Olivia froze.
Cousin?
Jackson ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated.
“Helping her is going to expose everything,” he said. “The Davis family will know you’re digging again.”
Olivia felt her stomach drop.
Digging?
“Jackson,” Ethan warned.
But it was too late.
“You think they won’t retaliate?” Jackson continued. “Your cousin already paid the price once. You want history to repeat itself?”
Olivia slowly looked at Ethan.
Her chest tightened.
So that’s it.
This wasn’t about helping her.
It was about revenge.
About some old grudge with Sophia’s family.
Ethan noticed her expression and cursed under his breath.
“Olivia—”
“It’s fine,” she said quickly, stepping out of the car.
Her voice sounded distant—even to herself.
“Thanks for the ride.”
She slung her backpack over her shoulder.
“And… good luck with your investigation.”
Before Ethan could say anything else, she turned and walked toward the apartment building.
Her mind spun.
Hope had flickered earlier.
A tiny, fragile thing.
But now—
It felt foolish.
—
Across town, Brett paced nervously behind the gym bleachers.
Sophia stood with her arms crossed, her expression icy.
“Well?” she asked.
“Did you scare her?”
Brett nodded quickly.
“Yeah. Totally.”
Sophia narrowed her eyes.
“And Ethan?”
“He just showed up randomly,” Brett lied. “Didn’t suspect anything.”
Sophia relaxed slightly.
Good.
Then the plan was still safe.
But as she turned away, Brett pulled out his phone.
His fingers trembled as he typed.
Unknown Number
To: Olivia
I was forced to do it. Sophia threatened my sister.
Her sister set up Ethan’s cousin years ago.
The original video is with Jack from the photography club.
Find it before they destroy it.
He hesitated.
Then hit send.
“Brett!” Sophia called.
“Coming!”
He shoved the phone back into his pocket, guilt burning in his chest.
—
Unseen by them both, another figure stood in the shadows near the parking lot entrance.
Sophia.
She had followed Ethan’s car earlier out of curiosity.
Now her nails dug into her palms.
So that’s why.
Ethan wasn’t protecting Olivia.
He was investigating.
And if he found the truth about the old incident—
Everything could collapse.
Her eyes hardened.
Then she pulled out her phone.
“Emma,” she said when the call connected.
Her voice was cold.
“There’s a problem.”
A pause.
Then she whispered the words that would set everything in motion.
“We need to destroy the original video.”