Chapter 3: Revelations and Decisions

The campus was abuzz with activity as police officers escorted the boys who had attacked Liora and Asher off the premises. The principal had called off the event for the day and postponed it to the next. The festive decorations seemed out of place against the backdrop of flashing police lights and the murmur of concerned students.

Asher winced as the doctor applied a bandage to his head. His injuries were more severe than Liora's, who was left with scratches and finger marks on her arms from being held tightly during her unconscious state. The doctor's hands were gentle yet firm, ensuring their wounds were properly cared for.

Once their treatment was finished, the police approached them to take their statements. Liora filed a complaint, detailing the events that had transpired. She explained how Asher had helped her, and Asher corroborated her story, adding that one of the boys in the group had acted strangely.

"Everyone was in the ground," Asher began, recalling the events. "I had come to the principal's office to collect a file for the next event. That's when I saw Liora lying unconscious on the floor. We were about to escape when they intervened."

Liora listened intently, her heart swelling with gratitude for Asher's bravery. She felt a sense of responsibility to protect him and the other characters in this world, just as they had protected her.

Just then, the parents of the boys who had been arrested arrived and began arguing with Liora, accusing her of being responsible for the incident. They said hurtful things about her, and just as the situation was getting worse, Lucian, Asher's eldest brother, arrived to check on him.

When Asher was about to explain what had happened, Liora interrupted, "The auditorium has eight cameras. Once we check, we'll know if I did anything or if your boys did."

The principal and security granted permission to access the footage, but when they opened the files, they found them blank. The parents continued to blame Liora, hurling accusations at her.

Lucian stepped forward. "You all are women too. How can you blame an innocent girl without evidence?" he said firmly.

Liora, remembering her brother's skills in hacking, accessed a nearby system. Thanks to her brother's training, she managed to restore the deleted videos. She silently thanked her brother in her world as she watched the footage, which clearly showed her being kidnapped and defending herself.

When the parents saw the evidence, they were furious and tried to attack Liora, but Asher quickly pulled her behind him. The police scolded the parents and gave them a warning, nearly deleting the footage, but at that moment, Aria arrived with her parents. Aria's mother, an Chief officer, took swift action against the boys based on the video evidence Liora provided. Both Asher and Liora filed complaints against them.

After Aria and her parents left, Lucian praised Asher. "You did a good job, Ash," he said. As Liora was about to leave, Asher called her and introduced her to Lucian. Though she was fuming inside, not trusting Ethan, she managed to thank him on the outside.

A week passed since the incident, and in that time, Asher and Liora became friends. Liora adapted to this new world and her identity as an orphan studying on a scholarship from the richest family in the country. That evening, she asked Asher to accompany her to Aria's birthday party, which was happening after college.

In the afternoon, Liora asked Asher, "When are you going to introduce me to your family?"

Asher choked on his drink, Aria smirking. Liora quickly clarified, "It's not like that. I want to see his house and family, become friends with them. Your mom even teach me how to cook Aria."

Later, as the day came to an end, Liora remembered that Ethan was a driver and would be there. She told Aria, "I'll come to your house by taxi."

As she was about to take a shared taxi driven by Ethan, Asher hopped in. "You left without saying anything," he said.

"We'll meet at the party, right? Why the sad face?" Liora replied.

In the shared taxi, everyone was watching Liora and Asher, who was the only male except for the driver, Ethan. When everyone else got off at their stops, it was just Liora, Asher, and Ethan. Asher called out to his brother, and Liora was suddenly captivated, floating in her dream world as she focused solely on Ethan.

Asher tried to say something, but Liora didn't hear him until he nudged her. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I was just thinking about the gift for my friend," she replied nervously, aware of Ethan watching her through the rearview mirror. She felt both happy and anxious that the Ethan was driving the car for her.

As they arrived at the party and she said "Thanks" to Ethan and Asher said "I will come late bro" as Ethan shook his head and left. Liora couldn't shake the feeling of excitement mixed with apprehension.

Ethan's Pov

Ethan watched as Liora and Asher exited the car, catching a glimpse of Liora's expression through the side mirror. She was staring at the car he drove with a mixture of admiration and nervousness. Ethan chuckled to himself. "Liora," he whispered, amused by her reaction.

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