Kathleen returned to her seat, feeling a mix of embarrassment and grievance as she noticed the attitudes of her classmates. Finally, she looked up and met Alison’s gaze, only to be met with a blank expression. A wave of disappointment washed over Kathleen. She lowered her head in despair, wondering if anyone would ever believe her. Kathleen knew her innocence, yet she doubted whether any explanation could dispel the doubts that surrounded her. She wouldn’t bother to explain if no one would listen. They would just assume she was making excuses. Although Alison was watching them with a blank face, she inwardly felt a pang of sympathy. However, she had no intention of stepping in at that moment. Doing so would only fuel Chelsea’s jealousy and potentially make things worse. As expected, seeing that Alison wasn’t trying to help Kathleen made Chelsea breathe a sigh of relief. When class ended at noon, she invited Alison to lunch. Not wanting to spend more time with her, Alison politely declined, “I can’t. I’m having lunch with Drake today. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates… if the incident yesterday did not cause any misunderstanding between them. But that was impossible. She refused to believe that and forced a smile, saying, “Ally, are you ditching me for a guy? “You used to be inseparable from me. Now that you have a partner, you’re always leaving me behind. Aren’t you afraid I’ll be upset?” Alison smiled awkwardly and replied, “It’s not like that. I don’t have any other options, do I?” Chelsea pouted and clung to her arms. “In that case, why don’t you take me with you? I’m starving too. If you won’t keep me company, I’ll tag along with you. Is that okay? Chelsea was confident that Alison wouldn’t refuse, given her usual nature. But to her surprise, Alison hesitated and said, “Well, it might not be convenient. ” Chelsea’s patience snapped. “You’re just bringing a friend along. What’s so inconvenient about it? And Ally, I’ve noticed you’ve changed! You used to hate being with Drake. Why are you acting so differently now?” Alison knew Chelsea wasn’t stupid and would get suspicious if she didn’t get her way. It was no surprise she finally lost her temper. Alison decided to play the victim, sighing, “Chelsea, do you think I want to do this? I have no choice. You know my dad has been. pressuring me, and his health isn’t great lately. I just don’t want to upset him. ” Hearing this, Chelsea felt a bit more at ease. “Oh, I see. You should have told me sooner. I almost misunderstood you. ” She paused, then added, “But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better if I come along? We can eat together, and I can keep an eye on Drake for you and make sure he behaves, right?” Alison forced a smile, realizing Chelsea was determined to join them. With a resigned nod, Alison agreed, “Fine, we’ll go together. ” Chapter 28