Louisa sat frozen, Finn's words echoing in the sudden silence he left behind. Louis Vuitton. Limited edition. Cassia's dress. The pieces of the puzzle had clicked into place, forming a terrifying picture. The stakes were astronomically higher than she had ever imagined. This wasn't just about a ruined dress; it was about a priceless possession belonging to someone with significant social power, someone connected to Jayden King Walton himself.
Her mind raced, desperately trying to formulate a plan. Confession seemed like the only honest route, but the thought of Cassia's wrath, Jayden's potential involvement, and the sheer value of the dress paralyzed her with fear.
She looked down at her history book, the words blurring into meaningless shapes.
How could she possibly focus on the French Revolution when her own personal revolution – a disastrous one – was about to erupt?
Her gaze drifted towards the library doors. She needed to talk to Ellie and Scarlett. They had to know the full extent of the situation. They had to help her figure out what to do before everything spiraled completely out of control.
Gathering her books with trembling hands, Louisa stood up, her legs feeling unsteady. The quiet library, once a sanctuary, now felt like a waiting room for her impending doom. She had to find her friends. She had to tell them everything.
As she walked through the library, her eyes darted nervously around, half-expecting Cassia to materialize from behind a bookshelf, her face contorted with rage.
Every well-dressed girl seemed to possess an aura of wealth and entitlement, making Louisa feel even more like an insignificant intruder.
She finally found Ellie and Scarlett in their usual corner of the cafeteria, the lunchtime rush just beginning. They looked up in concern as they saw the frantic look on Louisa's face.
"Louisa? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Ellie said, her brow furrowed.
Scarlett's gaze was sharp, assessing. "Something happened, didn't it?"
Louisa sank into the chair beside them, her voice barely above a whisper. "You won't believe what I just found out…"
...
"Louis Vuitton? Seriously? And Jayden bought it for Cassia?" Ellie exclaimed, her eyes wide. "This just keeps getting messier!"
Scarlett's lips tightened, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. "Yeah, that fits. Jayden and Cassia were the power couple for a solid year. Sophomore year, it was all anyone talked about. He showered her with ridiculously expensive gifts. That limited edition Louis Vuitton… I remember seeing her wear it to the Winter Ball. It was unforgettable."
Louisa's breath hitched. "So, Scarlett, you know how important this dress is… was."
Scarlett nodded grimly. "It was a statement piece. For Cassia, it was probably more than just a dress. It was a symbol of her status, her connection to Jayden."
"And Jayden… he knows it's missing?" Louisa asked, her anxiety mounting.
Scarlett frowned. "He has to. He has eyes and ears everywhere in this school. And Finn's right – something that rare wouldn't just vanish without whispers. The fact that he approached you… that's the weird part. Jayden usually wouldn't waste his breath on someone like Christopher, let alone directly address a scholarship student unless it was absolutely necessary."
"He warned me to be 'mindful'," Louisa recounted, the weight of his words still heavy.
Scarlett's brow furrowed deeper. "That's not a threat, not directly. It's… almost like he's telling you to watch your back. But why? Why wouldn't he just tell Cassia if he knows her dress is involved?"
Ellie's frustration was palpable. "Maybe he's enjoying the drama? Letting it play out for his own amusement?"
Scarlett shook her head slowly. "Jayden's more subtle than that. He doesn't usually get his hands dirty with petty drama. There's something else going on here."
She looked intently at Louisa. "Finn approaching you… and his knowledge of the dress and Jayden's past with Cassia… it feels deliberate."
"So what do we do?" Ellie pressed. "Confess to Cassia? Try to find a replacement for a one-of-a-kind dress?"
The tension at their table lingered even after the lunchtime rush subsided. Ellie kept glancing nervously towards the upper lounge, while Louisa seemed lost in thought, the weight of Finn's words heavy on her shoulders. Scarlett, however, had a focused look in her eyes, her mind already dissecting the new information.
"Okay," Scarlett said, breaking the silence. "Panicking won't help. We need to figure out what's really going on."
She looked at Louisa. "Finn approaching you… it wasn't random. There's a reason he chose to tell you all that."
"Maybe he's just enjoying the drama, like Ellie said," Louisa murmured, but even she sounded unconvinced.
"Finn's not a gossip," Scarlett countered. "He's quiet, observant. He knows things. And the fact that he knows about the Louis Vuitton, Jayden, and Cassia… it means this is bigger than just a ruined dress."
She turned to Ellie. "You mentioned seeing Cassia at 'Spotless Finish'?"
Ellie nodded. "Yeah, the day after the Welcome Party. She was asking about a red dress. My mum described her – definitely someone who could own a limited edition Louis Vuitton."
"Okay, so Cassia knows her dress is missing," Scarlett pieced together. "But has she said anything publicly? Has anyone in her circle mentioned it?"
"Not that I've heard," Ellie replied. "The usual elite gossip is about parties and who's dating who."
Scarlett's gaze drifted towards the upper lounge. "And Jayden… he acted like he didn't know anything specific, just warning Louisa to be 'mindful.' That doesn't make sense if he knows it's Cassia's dress."
"Unless…" Louisa began slowly, a chilling thought forming in her mind, "unless he wants something to happen."
Scarlett's eyes narrowed. "That's a possibility. Finn said Jayden was 'observing.' Maybe he's deliberately staying out of it to see how things play out."
"But why?" Ellie asked, bewildered. "Why would he let Louisa take the fall for ruining his ex's ridiculously expensive dress?"
*******