Chapter 19 Disqualified
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“Naomi?”
He froze in shock.
Naomi lifted her head in a panic the moment the door opened. She scrambled over and threw herself into Zayden’s arms. “Zayden!”
Tears streamed down her face.
The students nearby were stunned.
“Naomi? What were you doing in the equipment room?”
“Yeah, and why do you look like you’ve been through a war…?”
Naomi’s clothes were covered in dust from the equipment room. Her whole body looked like it had been dragged through grime.
“Who locked you in here?” Zayden’s face darkened.
This was a physical exam day–an important one. Who would pull such a cruel stunt now of all times?
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8:38 AM
The Heiress’s Second Chance at Vengeance
Chapter 20 The Locked Door
“It it was Elizat Eliza locked me in there!”
Naomi sobbed uncontrollably.
Zayden’s expression turned even colder the moment he heard her accusation.
Just then. Eliza arrived at the scene with Henry and the others.
Every gaze shifted to her.
Especially Zayden’s–his eyes held nothing but icy suspicion. “Eliza, did you lock Naomi in the equipment room?”
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Eliza looked at Naomi, who was crying miserably in his arms, and asked with genuine confusion, “What? I locked Naomi in the equipment room? Zayden, what are you even talking about?”
“Eliza” I already apologized to you at lunch! Why would you do this to me? I missed my PE exam! What about my SATS
now
Naomi glared at her with hatred.
She couldn’t believe Eliza had gone this far.
“This key–weren’t the one who left it
eft it in the
you
Zayden stepped closer, eyes locked on Eliza.
Eliza answered calmly, “I was.”
A collective gasp ran through the crowd.
So was she admitting it?
“If it was you, what more is there to say?”
the door?”
Zayden’s voice was like frost. “Eliza, I never thought you could be this cruel! Naomi is your sister. You actually locked her in there and made her miss the exam!”
“It’s true that I put the key in the door. But I didn’t lock anyone in
Eliza remained composed. “I was running late and headed downstairs to help move equipment. When I got to the door, it was already locked. I found the key on the ground and assumed someone had dropped it. Every PE monitor has one, and so do the teachers–I didn’t know whose it was. So I just put it in the lock. What’s so wrong about that?”
Her explanation was seamless.
Even the others around her began exchanging uncertain glances..
Henry stepped forward and shielded her. “Eliza’s not a PE monitor. She doesn’t have a key. Think about it–how could she lock anyone int And didn’t you hear her? The door was already locked when she got there! If anyone locked someone in there, it wasn’t her. Dol really need to spell out who might have hidden inside and tried to pin it on someone else?”
“You’re lying! I’m telling the truth!” Naomi’s face turned pale as she noticed the uncertain looks people were giving her.
There were whispers all around.
“Eliza doesn’t even have a key. How could it be her?”
“Yeah, it doesn’t make sense..”
“Why would Naomi say that then? Something’s not right here…”
Naomi stood frozen
8:38 AM
Chapter 20 The Locked Door
Why wasn’t anyone believing her?
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“Naomi, think carefully. Are you sure it was Eliza?” Even Zayden, who usually sided with her, was starting to doubt her.
Naomi yanked her hand from his. “It was Eliza! Why won’t any of you believe me?!
“Eliza even spoke up for you in class when the teacher got mad. She tried to find you. Naomi. I know you don’t like PE, but this was an important exam. You shouldn’t have slacked off.”
Zayden’s words hit Naomi like a lightning bolt,
She had been locked in that room–she’d screamed until her voice gave out and no one heard her.
Why wouldn’t anyone believe her!
“Zayden. I’m telling the truth! It really was her!”
J
From behind them, Scarlett chimed in. “Naomi, I remember you asked Zayden for the key earlier, didn’t you? We were already done moving equipment, so why did you need it?”
Naomi was panicking.
Why was everyone turning on her?
She had taken Eliza downstairs with her, and once Eliza stepped back, she’d slammed the door shut and jammed the key in the lock, so Naomi couldn’t get out.
Now they were twisting the story on her?
Naomi turned to Zayden, desperate for a lifeline–for just one person to believe her.
But Zayden stayed silent.
No, you asked me for the key. I’d already told you we’d finished moving everything. You said you wanted to go pick a mat. I didn’t think much of it, so I gave it to you.”
His voice was unreadable.
–
“Forget how the key ended up in Eliza’s hands. Just tell me why would you, of all people, volunteer to move equipment? That’s never happened before.”
Naomi opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
She couldn’t possibly say she had planned to lock Eliza up instead.
“Noom, I know you didn’t want to take the test. So you hid in the equipment room and came up with a story about being Jocked in. But blaming me–your own sister–do you know what kind of punishment I’d face if the school believed you? I used to think you were kind. I never expected you to be this vicious.
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