Seraphina was still standing in the corridor, lost in thought, as her fingers were tightly clutched the strap of her bag.
Her mind was spinning with all kinds of thoughts as she didn’t know how to escape after making this blunder.
She was still in her thoughts when someone lightly tapped her shoulder from behind.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
She turned instantly as her eyes widened. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked.
"Why not?" Maxmillian smirked. "I was equally involved in the mess, so I decided to help you out... you know... after you left, I pissed the teacher off a little more and made sure for him to kick me out too."
Seraphina blinked in shock. She couldn’t believe that this lazy person did something like that!
"You think that’s funny and cool?" Seraphina said coldly. "So what if you did something like that? Even if you pissed the teacher, nothing would happen to you, Young Master!"
"It seems you know me too well," Max replied with an amused smile. "Relax, if it gets serious, I’ll tell them I was the one bothering you."
She narrowed her eyes. "Why would you do that?"
Max blinked. "What do you mean, why? Isn’t it normal to help out your deskmate?"
Seraphina rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Just a second ago, you were looking at me like I was some parasite who was leeching on Melissa’s family, and... now suddenly, you want to be my hero?"
Max raised his hand in surrender. "Fine, maybe I admit I was a jerk to judge you based on the rumors, and maybe you are not as bad as they say... But I’m not that bad either!"
"That’s highly debatable," Seraphina muttered under her breath and turned away.
Max chuckled at her reaction. "Still... If anything happens, I’ll take the blame and I mean it."
Seraphina didn’t respond. She just stood there in silence. Because she couldn’t tell if he was joking and playing with her or actually meant what he said!
"Let’s go. The dean’s calling you to the office," one of the students came up and informed Seraphina, looking at her cautiously.
The student’s eyes shifted to Max even before she could respond as his brows furrowed. "Wait... Why are you here?"
Max casually ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "Because I was also involved with her." He said calmly as if he was enjoying getting involved in this mess.
The student looked confused. It was clear that he hadn’t expected Max of all people to be standing there, getting in trouble.
"Oh... uh... Well..." The student stammered. "You can just... go, I guess."
He turned around and walked away without waiting for a reply. He clearly didn’t want to get involved.
Max leaned slightly toward Seraphina and smirked. "See? I told you, I will speak up for you."
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You’re either brave or incredibly stupid."
He gave a soft chuckle. "Nah! I’m just bored."
The dean had already tried calling Seraphina’s father, Mr. Lancaster, since he was listed as her official guardian.
But as usual, he was too busy to pick up the call directly. Instead, he forwarded the matter to his wife and almost begged her to attend the sudden parent meeting at the school.
And the moment Mrs. Lancaster heard Seraphina’s name, her mood soured instantly.
She didn’t want to see that girl’s face, let alone defend her at school. Why should she? Seraphina wasn’t her daughter, which she wanted. She never accepted her in her heart, and she would never ever accept her.
"She had the nerve to leave the house that night, acting all high and mighty," Mrs. Lancaster muttered under her breath. "She didn’t even try to speak to me before storming out! Now, she wants me to go there and defend her?"
"I’m not going," she growled on the call with her husband. "Do whatever you want, but I won’t waste my time with that pathetic girl."
She ended the call without waiting for his reply and immediately dialed the school’s number herself.
Inside the dean’s office, the landline buzzed just as Seraphina reached the door. The secretary, who had been tapping away on her keyboard, looked up and motioned for Seraphina to go to the Dean’s desk and asked Max to stop in his place.
"You’ll be called in shortly," she said, but Max ignored her and followed behind Sera.
Seraphina had just entered the office when the dean picked up the phone.
"Hello? Mrs. Lancaster?" he said politely.
"Yes. I was told you called about Seraphina." Her voice was sharp and cold with hint of warmth in it
"Yes, ma’am. There’s been a disciplinary issue. We—"
"Look, I’m not coming," she cut him off without letting him explain. "I’ve got better things to do than run after that ungrateful girl."
The dean paused. He was too shocked to respond as he looked at Sera and Max, who had just entered and probably had heard everything.
"Handle it however you want. You’re the dean, aren’t you? Expel her if needed or just throw her out of the school for all I care," she said flatly. "She’s not my daughter anyway."
And before the dean could respond, the call ended with a cold click.
Seraphina heard everything. Although she had expected it, but her heart seemed to have shattered into pieces.
Her fists curled slowly by her sides as her nails dug into her palms, but she didn’t flinch. She was in pain, but no tears came out. She just stood there, frozen...
Max glanced at her, feeling all awkward.
If he hadn’t known the truth, I would’ve been normal; however, things were different after knowing everything.
Seraphina just closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply, gulping the lump that had just formed in her throat.
"Why am I called here for, sir?" Sera asked politely as her eyes darted to the landline.