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Chapter 2 Pouring Rain

Her delicate fingers moved to open the letter. She sighed, only after looking carefully did she realize who the sender of this letter was.

How are you, dear Illis?

Illis miss daddy? Please forgive Daddy, dear. Daddy has unforeseeable business interests in London. Daddy's return will be delayed for a very long time. I'm sorry Daddy has once again made you lonely at the mansion. Daddy has transferred your pocket money for this month, deliberately giving you three times as much. Use the money to please yourself, Illis.

From: Daddy dearest Illis.

Channeling her emotions, her right hand unconsciously squeezed the letter. Her sighs sounded long and deliberate. She straightened the messy paper and put it into a luxurious envelope.

It could be said that she had gotten a little used to it. But there was still sadness in her heart when she received the letter informing her of the postponement of his return. It was always like that. Her daddy was always busy at work. Her only parent hadn't seen her since half a year ago. They only met once in one year, and that was when she was accidentally injured by a falling vase.

Callista bowed her head. She should be able to hold back her emotions. It was not good to fill her head with something nauseating on this beautiful morning. After all, all her needs were met, even more than enough. The money sent by her daddy was always excessive.

A few seconds after she tried to think positive thoughts, the girl was made to look down with tight lips.

She didn't. Her mind was thinking logically, but her heart could not. She couldn't deny that she was getting more and more annoyed and sad as she tried to calm herself down. Even though all her needs were met, she still felt an emptiness in her heart.

Even though her family's wealth was huge. Even if her daddy didn't work, the money that had been saved was more than enough to fund the next seven generations.

All Callista needed was one thing, love. However, she never got it since the incident that took the lives of her mommy and her brother happened. It was not her will either. She also didn't want to lose two people who meant a lot in her life. But if fate has already said, what can he do?

It started at the age of nine. At that young age, she had tried to be independent in doing everything. Getting used to being raised in this magnificent mansion with only the loving embrace of servants. The love of someone she hired, not the love of her parents.

Callista pushed back her wheelchair. "I'm done eating, auntie. I'm going to school." Callista said goodbye. She tried her best to smile. But the forced smile looked bitter in Aunt Neki's eyes.

With the bodyguards taking over Callista's wheelchair, the girl completely disappeared into the twin doors. Getting ready for her new school life. That was what was occupying Callista's mind at the moment. She would open a new sheet of innocence and pray that it would be a beautiful one.


"Illis!"

Feeling the call, she raised one hand to get the bodyguard pushing the wheelchair to stop.

"Go away!" she ordered in a low voice. The bodyguard bowed his head for a moment and then quickly walked away.

A smile spread across her lips at the presence of the friends she had missed so much. The girl with wavy hair who had called out to her earlier was running around with two boys and another pretty girl behind her.

Those who caused the ruckus instantly grabbed the attention around her. Callista was aware of it, but she pretended not to know. After all, surely the main factor for them to be the center of attention was the good looks of her best friends. And she could not hide that.

Warm. The girl with wavy hair immediately threw herself into Callista's arms. Callista's hand moved to gently pat her best friend's very spoiled back. However, she liked the harmony she felt at the moment. How they welcomed her warmly, she liked it. Unlike in the past, she only got slurs and insults as soon as she set foot in the school area.

Her index finger wiped the tops of her slightly watery eyes. Maybe it was because of the letter this morning that she got carried away easily. And of course, these were tears of happiness. She was happy because her childhood friends were still the same as before. They accepted her for who she was.

"Hi, Illis! How have you been?" greeted a girl with hair as long as her back.

A sweet smile was etched on her lips. "You haven't forgotten me, have you? It's been a long time since we've seen each other. I'm Rheana Grethania Alvero, your older cousin," said Rheana who tried to introduce herself.

Callista ended her hug with the girl whose tag name was Chennie Aleysia Ephraim. A small chuckle escaped her lips.

"There's no way I'm forgetting you, Rheana. Don't make this up. You will always be in the deepest part of my heart."

Callista looked at the two men in front of her. Instantly a faint smile adorned the two students whose names were very famous in school and on social media, more precisely the popularity gained due to several appearances on television with the successful establishment of the company.

"Oh no! His smile makes me melt!"

"I feel like my feet are turning to jelly."

"My heart is pounding irregularly, should I see a doctor later?"

Callista just shook her head at the exclamations of the girls around her. It seemed like these friends of hers had a lot of fans. Without turning her head and only relying on the tail of her pupils, Callista could tell that many pairs of eyes were watching her friends closely. The adoring look in their eyes was very clear.

"There's no need to look at me like that. I feel like I'm going to have a hole in my body right now," one of the students said while ruffling the top of Callista's hair.

Brian Manley Acquilla. A man with eyes that radiated warmth and tenderness. His tanned hair and fair skin made him look sexy. Coupled with his slightly thick lips and lustrous eyelashes and eyebrows that showed toughness. A perfectly chiseled face.

She roughly pushed Brian's hand away from her hair. Callista quickly tried to fix her hair which in an instant became a mess.

"Ugh! Don't make me look bad on my first day of school, Brian!"

"My dear Callista Gwenhwyfar Vradito, I miss you so much," said Brian who deliberately said Callista's full name. His hands anxiously pinched both of Callista's cheeks. Callista, who received this treatment, suddenly glared sharply.

A man who had been silent all along immediately took over Callista's wheelchair. The blonde hair and mixed European-Asian face were eye-catching. No girl would miss the beautiful sight of Aric Carlton Campbell's face even for a second.

Unlike the gentle Brian, Aric was a student with piercing eyes that emphasized the impression of untouchable coldness. Many girls approached him, but those girls only received the bitterness of rejection. And even more cruelly, Aric had also been indifferent and walked right past a girl who was professing her love. Not just once, but many times. That's what adds to his charm as a handsome, untouchable man.

"Go, guys! We have to show you the class Illis is going to," Chennie was excited. She gently pushed Aric's back so that he would immediately push Callista's wheelchair.

When they had set foot in the center of the school, more precisely past the school field, they were immediately presented with the sound of whispers behind them. Of course, the topic that the students were talking about was Callista. The beautiful handicapped girl who came as a new student, and then suddenly joined Rheana and the others.

"Who is that girl? Why haven't I seen her before?"

"She's the new student who's been the subject of gossip these past few days."

"Hah! It turns out to be just a handicapped girl."

"Who is that bitch? How dare she try to get close to this school's most wanted? Does she have many lives?"

"What a pity, beautiful but flawed."

"A handicapped girl doesn't deserve to be around perfect people! You should be self-aware!"

Callista bowed her head deeply. She knew all the insults were for her. Her eyes were closed tightly. She had expected the insults to come her way, but she did not expect to get them this quickly.

She drew back her inner words that revealed that she was very happy. Just hearing a few scathing comments had made her moody. It was that easy for her feelings to be affected. But she was sure she could endure it all because now she had her best friends by her side. Unlike at school where she was alone.

Brian, who has a high sensitivity, immediately recognized the cause of Callista's bowing her head, so he circulated his gaze with an unfriendly look. His hands were clenched tightly. He was furious that Callista had been treated like this on her first day.

"Shut up if you don't want your blood on the floor." threatened Brian in a low tone. The smirk that graced his lips instantly made the students who looked at him shudder in horror. The other side of Brian that they desperately wanted to avoid suddenly revealed itself. Spontaneously they took a few steps back and immediately waltzed away from there.

Rheana sighed at Brian's behavior. One of her best friends could be both warm and violent depending on the situation. And for this matter, she supported Brian completely.

"Keep your eyes up, Illis. There's no need to care about their useless words."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"That's it, that's it. Don't be so serious anymore. You have to be cheerful because today we can meet again!" said Chennie who was trying to change the topic. She was very uncomfortable with this awkwardness.

"Oh yeah, I heard the news that you're in our class, Illis!" enthused Chennie.

Callista straightened her gaze. She nodded in understanding as she flashed a smile.

Callista had guessed that. Of course, she would be placed in the same class as her best friends. Because of what? Her daddy was the highest shareholder in this school as well as the school's donor. And she was grateful that her daddy was sensitive enough to this.

Rheanna rolled her eyes in disgust. Chennie's pep talk carried no weight at all.

"Of course, it's like that, Chennie. Did you pretend to forget or did you forget? Daddy Illis is the highest shareholder in this school. Even being called an owner is appropriate."

Chennie chuckled because Rheanna always took everything so seriously. She quickened her pace slightly to reach the door hinge. She pressed it gently while looking at Callista's face, which lit up again.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

"Let go, Ca!"

Click.

"It's normal-"

Chennie's words were cut short as soon as she felt something cold and liquid fall on her body. She could feel her entire uniform becoming soaked in an instant. Some of her hair was obscured from view by the water that had suddenly fallen from above.

The three girls who were peering at the scene through the classroom window simultaneously closed their gaping mouths. Their eyes were wide open. Their heartbeats could no longer be conditioned.

"You're dead, Ca! We've got the wrong person!" panicked one of the three tightly dressed girls.

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