Chapter 73


    Just for one night’s time, all those hatefulments about Jocelyn vanished into thin air


    It was like waking up from a nightmare, with only the memory lingering but no actual harm caused


    But that nightmare still had etched asting mark on Jocelyn’s heart


    Lying in her hospital bed, she replied to each and every message of concem. Then she opened


    Harrison’s Facebook message – be sounded so anions, his words brimming with worry and care


    Jocelyn texted him back to ease his mind i’m fine]


    Harrison mentioned he had squared things away with his parents, admitting he had been thoughtless.


    Jocelyn knew this wasn’t on Harrison. Even if it weren’t for him, those out to get her would find other


    chances.


    In the afternoon, Zephyr came to visit Jocelyn with a bunch of flowers, with Yannick trailing behind him.


    Zephyr was all mboyance, while Yannick was reserve. The two of them standing together, though in


    sharp contrasts, somehow seemed inseparable.


    “Hi Zephyr Hi Yannick,” Jocelyn greeted them, sitting up a bit straighter


    Truth be told, she wasn’t tight with them. Their sudden visit today left her wandering if someone had


    put them up to it


    “We heard about the stuff online, you’ve been wronged, Zephyr said “Luckily, it’s all sorted now Don’t


    dwell on it too much, what’s past is past. We ve gotta move on, right?


    In a sh, Jocelyn got the point- they weren’t here for a bedside visit, they were here to make sure


    she’d drop the matter


    They were friends of Willow


    And Jocelyn? She was just a shadowy figure Melvin kept out of the limelight, not fit to mingle with them


    The difference in importance between her and Willow was crystal clear.


    Jocelyn chuckled, True What’s gone is gone. Its not like there’s anything I can do, can 17


    Zephyr looked ad ufortable


    Nobody was a fool here Certainly they could see what Jocelyn meant


    Thanks for dropping by I just caught a cold from the rainst night Everything’s fine, Jocelyn shed


    them a radiant smile. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t waste time on battles I can’t win.


    Zephyr exchanged a nce with Yannick, who shot him a look


    “We won’t keep you from resting then, we’ll take off Let’s catch upter when you’re better


    “Sure


    Zephyr and Yannick left the room, one after the other, closing the door behind them. Zephyr patted his


    chest. I didn’t say anything wrong just now, did 1?


    “It depends on how she takes it, Yannick said expressionlessly That was a bit out of line”


    Zephyr hurried after Yannick. “How was I out of line? Willow said she was about to join the cast, but


    suddenly she was reced. If it wasn’t for Melvin’s tricks, how could that happen? It’s all settled now


    everyone steps back and we have peace, isn’t that good?”


    Yannick was beyond reasoning with him. “You know it was Melvin’s doing then why did you go after


    Jocelyn?”


    “Willow came to me, then how could I not help? I didn’t say much just sussing out Jocelyn’s stance. As


    long as she drops this thing, it’s all good.”


    “It’s never been in Jocelyn’s hands to decide, Yannick looked at Zephyr with a hint of disdain “You’d


    best keep your nose out of others’ business, or you’ll end up being the bad guy to everyone


    Yannick strode towards his car, Zephyr catching up and pping a hand on his shoulder. “Why didn’t


    you stop me at the start then? You speak up only after I’ve done it.”


    Yannick nced at the hand on his shoulder, flicking it off with his car key. “Do you ever listen to me?”


    “Sure, I do,” Zephyr slid into the car, buckled up, and raised an eyebrow at Yannick, ‘I always listen to


    you.”


    Yennick was speechless.


    Jocelyn handled her own discharge and returned to her apartment


    She checked herputer for that street interview ount, but the video with her and Harrison was


    nowhere to be found now


    Typing her name into the search bar, the school web page popped up, her name and work photo listed


    under ‘distinguished teachers”, along with a brief introduction.


    Thetest bulletin on the school’s web page also featured her name, including the petition Urs had


    sent her, signed by parents of students students of the past, the present, and even some students


    she’d never taught.


    Tears warmed her eyes again as she looked at the handwritten list.


    Her phone rang beside theputer, but she didn’t want to answer, letting it ring out


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Three ringster, the man’s patience had wom thin.


    With her eyes red and swollen from crying, Jocelyn shut herptop and headed to the bathroom to


    wash her face Suddenly, the door thundered as if someone was about to bust it down.


    No need to guess who it was. She went to open the door reluctantly.


    Melvin’s face was as sour as if he’d just fallen into a cesspit. His look of concern flipping to anger in an


    instant, “Why didn’t you answer my call?


    “Didn’t hear it.” Jocelyn let go of the door knowing there was no way getting rid of him now.


    She walked in, and Melvin mmed the door behind him, “I thought you were dead or something.”


    His mouth as always, was rotten to the core.


    Jocelyn slumped onto the couch pulling her legs up and hugging a cushion, giving him a sidelong


    nce, “Sorry to disappoint you”


    Melvin, fuming, started unbuttoning his cuffs and rolling up his sleeves.


    If it weren’t for the fact that he never hit women, you’d think he was about to throw a punch at any


    second.


    Seeing her indifference, Melvin charged over and pinned her down, lifting her hands above her head,


    breathing erratically, his heartbeat strong and forceful. He stared at the flicker of nervousness in her


    eyes and gritted his teeth, “Don’t think just because you’re sick, I won’t do anything to you”


    “No way Even if I were dead, I’d bet you’d be the type tomit necrophilia, Jocelyn’s soft, mocking


    wordspletely infuriated the


    man


    Seeing his bloodshot eyes, Jocelyn did feel a bit scared, but thinking about how Willow used to mess


    with her, there was no way she was going to back down.


    Wasn’t it just because she was easy to bully? Otherwise, why would everyone pick on her?


    “Are you dumb?” Melvin fumed, gripping her wrist so tightly it visibly reddened


    Her skin has always been wless, easily bruised with just a pinch or a little suck, leaving red marks


    behind.


    Every time they were together, he wanted to control himself, but also felt a twisted sense of


    aplishment seeing the marks on her body, as if they were proof that she belonged to him.


    Jocelyn was stubborn, not caring even if her wrist was crushed.


    “When you meet a human, you speak humannguage, when you encounter a ghost, you talk ghost


    talk; and when you meet someone who’s inhumane, naturally, you won’t have anything nice to say.


    Jocelyn’s tongue was particrly sharp today.


    Melvin felt like his lungs were about to explode with anger.


    “You should learn to be grateful in life. You’re a teacher, certainly you know it, Melvin threatened with


    narrowed eyes, Jocelyn, if you don’t practice gratitude yourself, how can you expect your students to


    understand it?”


    Jocelyn hated it most when he questioned her ability to teach based on her personal life.


    Just like those online trails, using her private affairs to doubt her professionalpetence