Maelis stared at the screen, her hand trembling as she reached out, as if she could touch Zinnia sitting by the pool.
Betty had said Zinnia was upset and refused to attend the banquet. At the time, Maelis had felt annoyed because she had put all her effort into preparing
But now, seeing Zinnia’s lonely figure in the video, Maelis felt guilty. She thought, ‘Why was I angry? I’m her mother. Shouldn’t I have tried harder to comfort her?
As the video continued, Maelis’s eyes widened in shock. She saw the hand that dragged Zinnia into the water, and fury surged through her chest.
Maelis thought, ‘Zinnia wouldn’t have fallen in on her own. Why? Why would Betty do this to her?‘
Seeing the still surface of the water, Maelis’s breath hitched painfully. It felt as though her heart was being crushed, the pain sharp and unrelenting
Seeing Howard pull Betty out of the water but completely ignore Zinnia, Maelis shot to her feet, her heart pounding with panic. She wanted to dive in herself, to pull Zinnia out. Frustration and anger overwhelmed her.
She complained inside, ‘How could Howard be so blind? Zinnia is still in the water.‘
As the video played, Maelis saw a servant rescue Zinnia. Zinnia’s pale face sent a wave of terror crashing over Maelis. She covered her mouth, struggling to suppress the sobs threatening to escape.
Maelis felt as if her tears might shatter the fragile reality unfolding on the screen. At that moment, she forgot she was merely watching a recording. It felt as though she were right there, helpless as Zinnia lay on the ground.
Seeing Zinnia cough up the water and cough violently, Maelis wished she could take Zinnia’s place. She wanted to pat Zinnia’s back, to hold her close, and to comfort her. But Maelis wasn’t there to do any of it.
Watching Zinnia gaze blankly as Howard and the others left, Maelis felt her heart being torn apart, aching with each beat, and her face turned pale.
By the time the video ended, Maelis was sobbing uncontrollably, regret and sorrow flooding her heart. She hadn’t realized Zinnia had been so misunderstood. And they scolded her so harshly. She thought, ‘How heartbroken Zinnia must have been.‘
At the time, Howard had only mentioned that Betty had fallen in, and Maelis had rushed to the hospital to care for Betty. She was completely unaware
that Zinnia had also been in danger.
After watching the video, the students–stayed silent. The girls were visibly upset, their eyes red with anger. Zinnia herself didn’t seem to care, but they were furious, wishing they could grab Betty and slam her to the ground a couple of times.
They thought, ‘Betty is shameless. Zinnia looks so soft and obedient, like a little lamb. Who would have guessed that she had been silently enduring all this? No wonder she seems a bit slow and out of it.
‘She was bullied, misunderstood, and doubted by her own family. How could anyone stay cheerful and optimistic after going through all that?‘
Zinnia was lying on her desk, flipping through a comic book. Her chubby cheeks were squished under one hand, and her fingers absentmindedly pinched at the soft flesh on her face.
Seeing this, other students felt both heartbroken and amused. They thought, ‘She is just too adorable. After everything she had been through, she didn’t hold a grudge against Betty. Instead, she left quietly.
‘What a silly girl. If it were us, there is no way we’d let Betty off the hook so easily. At the very least, we’d fight for what is rightfully ours.
‘Leaving? If anyone has to leave, it should be Betty, not us. We’d never give up our rights just to let someone else have their way!‘
1/2
Chapter 52
The students in the International class were all carefully cultivated by their families, and Betty schemes were quit transparust to them.
