Cutting Off My Fiancé After Rebirth

Perhaps my words had some effect, for Zachary stopped seeking me out.

But that only lasted for a few days. After that, he insisted on handing me his notes and would sometimes stubbornly stay behind to walk me through exercise questions.

"Aren't you going to Prestwick University with me to study finance? You're still not very good at math."

For once, I didn't argue back. After all, in his eyes, I was still that girl who followed him without hesitation no matter what he did.

Perhaps in this new life, even if we couldn't be husband and wife, we could still be friends.

Yet whenever I grew tired from studying and looked up, I caught Vivian glaring at me.

One month before the SATs, I walked out of the school gates and headed to the bookstore across the street to buy some reference books.

Zachary rushed toward me, holding Vivian in his arms. Her face was pale, and her clothes were stained with blood.

Before I could react, he had already blocked my path. "Natalie Hooper!"

His voice was heavy with suppressed fury. "Do you really hate her so much that you hired someone to beat her up outside the school?"

I froze and looked at Vivian in his arms. Her eyes brimmed with tears. One side of her face was swollen, and her gaze was filled with fear as she looked at me.

I frowned, a wave of absurdity washing over me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said.

"You have no idea?"

Zachary let out a cold laugh. Some students nearby began turning to look at us.

"When those girls slapped her, they clearly said that Ms. Hooper told them to teach her a lesson. Who else would resort to such dirty tricks if not you? So your good temper was just an act after all," he said.

I looked at Vivian as she sobbed. "Natalie, I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have taken Zach from you."

As she spoke, her body trembled even more violently.

I looked at Zachary and said calmly, "I didn't do it. I wouldn't stoop to using such methods."

"Where's the proof? Who would believe you?" Zachary asked.

He wouldn't listen to my explanation at all. Vivian's tears and accusations had completely clouded his judgment.

He paused for a moment, as if making up his mind. Then he spoke slowly, his tone icy. "Viv, hit her back, just like they did to you."

Those words hit me like a punch to the gut.

I stared at Zachary in disbelief. I couldn't believe he was asking Vivian to hit me. Growing up, not even my parents had ever hit me.

Vivian seemed startled as well. She shook her head frantically. "I can't do that, Zach. How could I—"

"Go!" he shouted.

He gently pushed Vivian in front of me, then grabbed my arms tightly. "She owes you this. As long as I'm here, no one will ever hurt you again."

More and more students gathered around, their whispers like the buzzing of mosquitoes.

Under everyone's gaze, Vivian appeared even more helpless and fragile. She looked at me, her tears flowing harder. Her hand trembled slightly as she raised it.

She finally seemed to make up her mind. She closed her eyes and swung her hand with force.

A sharp slap rang out, and a burning pain spread across my face. She didn't hold back, hitting me hard enough to make my ears ring.

I tried to struggle, only to be met with Zachary's painful grip as a warning. But when he saw blood running from my nose, he froze for a moment. He seemed surprised by just how strong Vivian was, and his gaze flickered briefly.

Yet when he saw Vivian collapse onto the ground, shaking uncontrollably after hitting me, he immediately released me.

He held her tightly in his arms. "It's alright now."

He looked at me. "If you apologize properly right now, I'm still willing to tutor you. We can still go to Prestwick University together. Haven't you always wanted us to move out? By that time, we could even buy a house near campus—"

I looked at Zachary and suddenly laughed. "Prestwick University? You can go there with Vivian. I won't be going."