Coolest Girl in Town

Maverick froze at once, but he quickly found what to say in his defense.

"What's wrong, Arie?" Maverick absolved himself of the situation entirely. "You're the one who asked me to stay. Did you forget that? Is this not what you meant?"

"What did I mean?" Ariel sat up with an icy expression. "I've been wide awake the whole time ever since we left the restaurant and I don't remember inviting you into my house."

Maverick was shocked. "Weren't you…"

"Wasn't I what? Unconscious? I should've been even more soundly asleep so that you can do whatever you want with me, right?" Ariel fired back. "It's been ten years. Do you think I'm still the gullible girl I once was?"

"Arie, you've misunderstood me." Maverick refused to give up.

Ariel didn't want to hold back any longer. "What did I misunderstand? Did you not drug me, or did you not plan on giving me to the property developer back then so that you could achieve your dream of climbing up the social circles?"

Maverick became serious as well at the mention of the incident back then. "You were there too. You saw what happened. You know that I didn't agree with their request."

"You didn't agree verbally, but what did you do behind my back? I was lucky enough to run into a young doctor. That's how I found out that what you made me drink was Millennivre, an alcohol that would make me drunk at once, and once I finally woke up from my drunken stupor, I would lose most of my memories of what happened. You went to such great lengths, didn't you, Mr. Taylor?"

To Ariel, this incident not only represented the depravity of Maverick, but it was also a lesson she learned.

She didn't want to recall this dark past of hers and her pitiful past self whose pure heart had been stomped on that badly. Thus, she never attempted to bring this incident back to light.

However, as Maverick kept pushing her too far time and time again, she had no choice but to expose him for what he truly was. Otherwise, this would never end.

"So, you knew everything." Now that the truth was out, Maverick stopped pretending. Instead, he began commenting in a snarky manner, "Here I was thinking that you were just upset that I neglected you and didn't drink the alcohol on your behalf, so you ran off in a huff. The truth is, my wonderful Arie has always been so intelligent and cool-headed."

His tone darkened toward the end of his last sentence and his aura became a lot more menacing. It was as if he had suddenly become an entirely different person.

was a predator locking in on his

threw himself at her and grabbed her hands before pinning her

you going to force yourself

gentler

a gentleman. His eyes were now

he

pain before

sat upright and adjusted her clothes before admiring

her kick, and by now, Maverick was experiencing what was said to be the most painful

you that I'm not the same girl I once was anymore? I've been doing Taekwondo for ten years now. I've also taken up boxing and karate. What gives you the guts to try and force

the price

the accomplished woman you are now, so what's the big deal if I want to

and domineering, his strength was mere child's play in

went along with it and struggled for a bit. Just as she was about to unleash her full

Bang!

the house, he saw Maverick grabbing Ariel and trying to force himself onto her.

in just the

up! Don't

clouded with rage. He grabbed Maverick off the floor and punched him a couple more times before realizing that

he threw Maverick back down and yelled, "What a useless b*stard! What kind of

"Why are you here?"

from behind, and it finally occurred

moment before taking a deep breath and making the difficult decision

been tailing you guys this whole time. I ran into Clara at noon today, but don't take it the wrong way. I didn't meet her on purpose! I only ran into her by chance, I swear! She told me that Rylantha and Maverick were teaming up to act against you, so I started following you. You can choose not to forgive me, Ariel, but I can't stand by and

go ahead and find someone new. You can love someone else if you

that she fell in