Stronger Every Time I Die
Finley’s face stiffened with embarrassment. But in a situation like this, all he could do was let out an awkward laugh before turning to Henry with fake concern. "What’s wrong?" His voice was gentle, but when Henry met his gaze, there was nothing soft about it. All he saw was ruthless warning. Finley took advantage of their brief eye contact to shoot Henry a sharp glare. Henry shuddered. He got the message immediately. After all, he had been following Finley for years—one look was enough for him to understand what he was supposed to do. Still shaken from everything that had just happened, Henry’s voice was unsteady as he pointed at Arthur. "A-Arthur, what are you laughing at?!" Arthur and Ashley finally stopped laughing. They stood side by side, matching grins on their faces. Arthur had inherited his grandfather’s striking features—tall, sharp, and commanding. Ashley, on the other hand, was the perfect blend of Spencer and Nancy’s best traits, her beauty practically flawless. Standing together, they looked like the perfect pair. For the first time, the crowd began to notice it too. They had… a kind of natural chemistry. Somehow, they looked like they belonged together. It wasn’t just that they were both attractive—there was something more. Arthur glanced at Henry and Finley, his expression playful. He pointed at Ashley."Why haven’t you asked for her name yet?" The question caught the crowd off guard. Her name? What did that have to do with anything? A few people in the crowd started putting the pieces together. Their eyes widened in disbelief. At the very beginning, Henry had asked for the girl’s name, and later, Finley had asked too. But she had never said it. No—Henry had never given her the chance to say it. And now, Finley was starting to feel uneasy. Henry, however, was still oblivious. He scoffed, arms crossed. "What does her name have to do with anything? I asked you why you were laughing! Are you trying to provoke Mr. Tremo?" Finley’s stomach sank. He wanted to stop Henry. But Henry had already spoken. There was nothing Finley could do now but grit his teeth and glare at him. Arthur didn’t seem offended. With a smirk, he slid an arm around Ashley’s waist. "If you don’t know, then I’ll tell you." Henry frowned, confused. Arthur knew her name? That didn’t make sense. When Henry first stopped Ashley in the cafeteria, she had refused to say her name. Even when Mr. Tremo had asked, she hadn’t answered—Arthur had arrived before she had the chance.Arthur had shown up later than everyone else. So how could he possibly know? Henry scoffed. "Oh yeah? And what’s her name?" Finley clenched his jaw. He wanted to stop this—wanted to pray that Arthur would say the wrong name. If Arthur slipped up, Finley could use it against him. He could paint Arthur as a cheating playboy who had publicly flirted with a girl despite having a fiancée. That alone would cause him endless trouble. But Arthur didn’t hesitate. He nodded. "Of course I know her name." His grip on Ashley’s waist tightened slightly, as if making a declaration. Then, with a calm yet firm tone, he said, "This is my fiancée, Ashley." The cafeteria erupted. The name hit like an earthquake. Ashley. Arthur’s fiancée. The same Ashley they had just been ridiculing for trying to attract Mr. Tremo. The very Ashley they had accused Arthur of cheating on. They all stood there, faces frozen in stunned realization. They had been condemning Arthur—insulting Ashley—without realizing the truth. Finley’s expression darkened instantly. Henry, on the other hand, looked completely lost. His brain refused to process what he had just heard. No. That wasn’t possible. How could it be…? How could the random girl he had blocked in the cafeteria turn out to be Arthur’s fiancée? What were the chances! Henry stammered, "She—she can’t be your fiancée, Ashley! I just randomly ran into her in the cafeteria!" His voice grew weaker with every word. Finley’s expression turned even more sour. He wanted to strangle Henry for speaking. Arthur gave a lazy smile. "Or… maybe my fiancée, Ashley, just came to get some food and happened to be stopped by you?"
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