Step on the glass, staple your tongue
Bury a friend, try to wake up
Cannibal class, killin' the son
— Bury a Friend by Billie Eilish

"Scarlet!" William appeared behind her. "Do you really want to do this right now in front of everyone?" he hissed.

The atmosphere thickened as Scarlet sneered. "I just want to join them."

The unease clutched at my breath as Gray and William shared a look. A frown dominated William's features as he nodded, their silent communication causing Gray's jaw to tighten.

Gray curled his fingers around my hand as he stood, pulling me along with him. "Let's go," he said.

"What's going on here?" Liam questioned in a demanding tone as he approached us. The others appeared a second later, the confusion dancing in their eyes.

"Nothing that concerns you," Scarlet returned.

"What happens in my house concerns me," Liam snapped, his eyes darkening.

Scarlet wasn't the least bothered, ignoring Liam as she took a step closer to Gray. She pressed a finger to his chest, where the shirt's buttons were left undone, sliding it down slowly, tauntingly.

"Is this how you're supposed to let your friends treat your fiancé, pumpkin?" she purred, the words coming from her mouth enough to send my head reeling with questions.

"Fiancé?" questioned Victoria.

Scarlet dropped her hand and scowled at Victoria. "Don't act like you're stupid. You know how our world works."

Victoria returned her words with only a glare as her hands balled into fists. I glanced up at Gray with a blank look. Was it true? He cupped my cheeks, the feeling of his cold hands against my skin sending a shiver down my spine.

"Scarlet's parents offered my father a business proposal a couple of weeks back," he began to explain. "That night three days ago, he—"

"You were with me," I cut him off, my heart picking up speed at the thought of me unknowingly ruining his family's plan.

He shook his head, deciphering my reaction. "My father declined their offer. He never liked the idea of arranged marriages."

Scarlet shoved Gray aside with a mocking smile. She wasn't the same Scarlet I came to know. Her eyes were filled with venom and spite, her true bitch nature taking the wheel.

"Do you even know who Gray is and what reputation he carries in Brickfields?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.

I let out a sarcastic chuckle. "That he's the most handsome being that has ever walked the school grounds? Yeah, I hear it every day."

"Scarlet, this is none of our business," Isaac intervened, his expression pinched.

"Yes, it is!" she glowered. "It's been fucking months, and nobody has told her about what happened in high school! She deserves to know. It would save her a great deal of pain."

"Scarlet, you better—" Liam was cut short when Gray held up a hand to stop him.

Scarlet flashed Gray a provoking smirk. "Always acting like you're the hero when you're the villain."

"You're hell-bent on telling her. Go ahead," Gray murmured bleakly.

"Well, since I've got the permission." Scarlet clasped her hands and turned to me. "Has Gray ever mentioned his downfall with William during high school?" she asked.

I glanced up at Gray, the fury plain on his face. It wasn't rocket science. It only took a few shared glares to see that something did happen between them.

Looking back at Scarlet, I asked stiffly, "What about it?"

Seeing the confusion in my eyes, she grinned. "Back in high school, when they were still best friends, Gray drugged and fucked William's girlfriend."

I sucked in a breath at the revelation, my brain coming to a standstill. What?

"Oh, wait," she placed a hand over her chest and gasped lightly, "if he fucked her without consent, then isn't it called rape? It was one hell of a scandal."

I raised my chin to look at Gray, desperately searching for his eyes to know the truth. But there was no hint of any emotion in his face.

"What do you think, Summer?" Scarlet persisted.

This was the rumor William meant, and I had heard about it before. The scandal was so massive that it reached everywhere. It was in every tabloid and gossip column, and everyone talked about it. But two weeks later, everything about the scandal disappeared without a trace.

If Gray was the person involved in that scandal, then it meant he was... "You're..."

"Yes," Gray stated with confidence. "I am the sole heir to Stanford Group."

I pressed my lips together. Stanford Group was the most influential conglomerate worldwide. I knew who they were as my mother often talked about them, and back in high school, I did a case study on one of their marketing strategies when they expanded into South Korea.

Gray's surname explained everything about who he was and what weight he carried on his shoulders. The glances, respect, and attention he received from everyone were because he was a Stanford.

And his family was fucking powerful.

I squeezed my eyes shut as my head buzzed from all the information flooding in at rapid speed. Amidst all these, something didn't make sense. The scandal had to be a setup. It had to be intentional to destroy Gray's family. It was logical for them to have many enemies and people who wanted to bring them down since they were the most powerful family in the business world.

What if I was the villain? Gray asked me that night.

It couldn't be true.

I inhaled deeply, opening my eyes to look at the group of people I called my friends. All of them, except Nick and Jordan, had a history together. They studied at Brickfields High School, the most exclusive school in the world meant only for the most wealthy. William's warning finally made sense. He wanted me to be careful with the people around me. Because they weren't just filthy rich. In some way, they were all involved in that scandal concerning Gray.

Why else would they be so tense right now?

I let my eyes travel to each of them. Gray stared at me with his lips pressed into a hard line, his expression a strange mix of frustration and defiance. Liam, Victoria, and Isaac looked at me empathetically, and I understood the reason why they chose not to tell me anything. They trusted Gray, and they knew it wasn't their right to interfere. I eyed William carefully, thinking about the reason behind his hatred towards Gray. Something else was going on, and I was sure of it. Gray and William had a mutual understanding that wasn't as easily noticed unless one paid close attention.

I recalled my interaction with this girl, who approached me after my fight with Gray.

"Summer?" called a girl with dark hair. Her eyes were reluctant as she approached me. "I-I have to tell you something about Gray."

I frowned. "What is it?"

"The letters..." she hesitated, "Scarlet told us to do it. She said if we didn't, she'd make us suffer, and we all know she's capable of doing such a thing."

I looked Scarlet straight in the eye. She was smirking at me with her arms crossed over her chest, still with that expectant look on her face. I was well aware of how their world operated, and although I chose to ignore the life my mother had prepared for me, I simply could not break the promise we made each other.

My eyebrows knitted together as I thought back to my talk with Olivia when she showed up in Pops. I called her up once I returned to my room, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Your bitch of a friend blackmailed us to come here," she said, and I flinched at the aversion in her voice.

"But how?" I questioned.

"My family owes her family a great deal of money. Travis too," she heaved a breath. "She showed up in my house with all the missed invoices. It's a good thing my parents were in Spain, or shit would've escalated."

"Wait," I interrupted, knowing if I didn't say anything now, she would just go on and on. "She told you to come here to mess with me?"

"She said — and these are her exact words: I want them riled up. Use Summer to provoke Gray. God, Travis and I aren't even together anymore and—"

"How did you find us?"

"She told us, duh." She paused for a moment and then said in a quiet voice. "She asked about your mom. I didn't put much thought into it the first time since it seemed like a question in the passing. But she asked again and again. It was subtle, but I knew she was up to something. Be careful, Summer. That bitch is cunning."

Rape wasn't an easy subject to talk about; I was aware of how many lives it ruined, and I knew people personally who blamed themselves for an act that wasn't their fault. But something didn't fit the accusation, and I was sure as hell that Scarlet was trying to taint what I thought about Gray.

She was the cause of me getting harassed by Gray's fangirls and the reason why Olivia and Travis paid me a visit. She was overconfident, and she knew exactly what to say and how to act. Hell, she didn't even bat an eyelash when anger was thrown at her; she expected the outburst. I also hadn't seen her around Brickfields lately, and now she was causing a conflict in front of a hundred well-connected people. She wanted it to happen right here, where every damn filthy rich person could watch.

And Gray would've told me about this whole thing when he was ready to share.

"What happened in the past doesn't affect me," I said a moment later, keeping my voice calm and composed.

Looking up at Gray, I was surprised to see the tenderness and repentance in his eyes. How he looked at me was all it did to boost the courage I had to fight for him. To fight for what I knew and didn't know.

"There are two sides to every coin," I said, facing Scarlet. "And I'm only listening to an outsider's point of view. Unless I get to hear the entire story from a trustworthy source, then I'll decide whether or not I'll stay away from Gray. I know what you meant when you said our world."

"Oh, that's rich coming from a commoner like you," she scoffed mockingly. "A father, who's a public defender, who abandoned you and your mother right before you were born and now lives in Seattle with his girlfriend. A mother with a lowly background who owns a little store in New York City. You haven't seen the world we've lived in our entire lives."

Bingo.

"So you did do your research." A smirk tugged at my lips. "That's a rather low thing to do for someone who lives a high life," I taunted, my eyes studying her.

"You left quite the impression at the party two months ago."

"Two months ago?" I chortled, rolling my eyes to the sky before looking at her dead in the eye. Gray was right about her being manipulative. She used me. She didn't need my help with him. "Scarlet, you shouldn't be digging deeper if you're stuck in a hole."

"Do you think I care?!" she snapped, chest heaving. "You chose not to listen to Gray, and that's your fault. Do you think I'm the only one who hired a private investigator to look into you? Think again, honey."

"You are by far the only one who has used that knowledge against me, Scarlet."

"Do you want me to go on then?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Be my guest. I would love to hear the history of my life from someone I don't even know," I spat sarcastically.

"That's enough," Victoria intervened, scanning the crowd that had gathered around us.

Most of the guests were so engrossed with their own thing that they didn't notice the fuss that was happening. Isaac shook his head lightly at Victoria with a worried look, and she let out a heavy sigh, eyeing me with concern.

"What's my mother's name?" I asked Scarlet.

"Sarah Hale," she answered proudly.

A low chuckle escaped my lips. "Scarlet, if my father divorced her a long time ago, why is she still keeping his surname?" I questioned her. If I was going to follow the path my mother had paved for me, I should at least make things interesting for those who were curious.

Scarlet furrowed her eyebrows in confusion for a split second before composing herself. "Does it even matter?" she questioned back.

"Yes, it does," I mocked, taking a step closer. "Because it means you didn't do your research well. Is that what all your money can do?" I returned with a smirk.

"Bitch!" She raised a hand back and swung it through the air. My hand quickly grabbed her wrist just before her palm met my cheek in a slap, and I stared at her coldly as shock replaced the confidence she carried.

"I suggest you don't try that again," I said each word slowly, carefully controlling my anger as I gripped her wrist. "You don't know what I'm capable of doing."

She reeled back at my words, the fear evident in her eyes. I couldn't care less anymore. There was one thing I hated most in the world before lousy food and horrible fashion, and that was vile, despicable people like Scarlet.

I dropped her hand roughly and crossed my arms over my chest. "If Gray is what you say he is, then he wouldn't have good people around him."

Scarlet wasn't targeting Gray; she was targeting me. She used Gray's secrets as the bait, and just like how she wanted, I fell for it. But Scarlet wasn't expecting this kind of reaction from me, and it was weird. She expected too much, yet too little.

"Here's a piece of advice," I said, glaring at her. "Get your information right first before coming at me and spitting on my life. And if you want me to think wrongly of Gray, I suggest you try harder. Because I trust him, and I trust actions more than words."

Two men in grey suits, wearing earpieces, appeared behind Scarlet, and Liam gave them a nod of approval.

"Please come with us, Miss Lowell," one of them said, putting a hand on Scarlet's shoulder.

Scarlet's eyes were clouded with rage. She pushed the bodyguard's hand away and turned on her heels. They followed close behind her, escorting her off Liam's property.

Liam turned to the guests who watched the whole drama unfold, immediately apologizing. Nick, Isaac, and Jordan faced the guests and attempted to lighten the mood. I smiled at a worried Victoria, and she nodded with an apologetic smile, understanding the look I gave her.

Grabbing Gray's hand, I pulled him with me back inside the house. My head was still spinning from the soap opera I was dragged into unwillingly when he pulled his hand away from my grip.

I whirled around to look at him.

"You were right. We are too different," he muttered. "You did the right thing by choosing to stay away from me."

I frowned. "Didn't you hear what I said earlier?"

"What she told you was all true, and you're stupid not to believe her," he snapped through gritted teeth, and I flinched back from the resentment in his voice.

"Then explain it to me," I demanded.

He looked taken aback. "Explain what?"

"Explain why you did what you did."

"Why do you think people do what they do?" he asked back, clearly avoiding my question.

"You were the one who did it," I reminded him, my eyes slightly squinting as I studied his face. "So you have to explain to me why you did what you did."

"Because I wanted it." His tone questioned me, and it only made me more suspicious. It sounded like a line delivered by a skilled actor.

"Fine, let's say that it was true. It's still all just in the past," I argued, unconvinced by my own words. I just knew deep inside that he was lying.

Gray wasn't a fucking dumbass. He wouldn't jeopardize his future.

"We are who we are today because of our past."

"I know, but—"

"Then please," he spoke quietly now, his voice holding an edge of derision. "Do yourself a favour and stay away from me. Isn't that what you wanted a few days ago?"

"Not until you tell me the truth," I growled, taking a step forward. "I know you're lying to me, Gray. Why is it so hard for you to tell me the damn truth?"

His emerald eyes stared at me coldly, yet they glistened beautifully underneath the warm lights. My heart ached for him and for what he had to go through. I knew there was more to the scandal, but I didn't understand why he was frightened to tell me his side of the story.

I stepped closer, keeping my eyes locked with his. "If you want to run away, then go ahead. But let me tell you this. I've known who you were from that moment I found out what your surname was, and I've known about the scandal but decided to play ignorant."

I watched him swallow deeply as his eyes softened.

"And do you want to know why?" I pressed a palm over his pounding heart. "Because your actions contradict everything I've read about you in the tabloids. Because your friends genuinely love and care for you, and you take care of them too. Because I see the understanding that you share with William. If you really did what you did, then you wouldn't have that sort of relationship with him." I exhaled a long breath. "I trust you, Gray, and I was willing to wait until you were ready to tell me everything."

He shook his head lightly. "I'm sorry, but I can't. The truth is far worse than the lie."

He turned his back on me and walked away without a second thought, leaving me alone in the empty hallway with a heavy heart.