Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

Chapter 8

Upstairs in her room, Briar took a long bath and slipped into a loose, ankle–length nightgown covered in cute cartoon prints.

Just as she stepped out of the bathroom, towel drying her hair, her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message.

Holding her damp hair over one shoulder, she dried it with one hand while checking her phone with the other.

It was from Ashton. The message was short. [Fill this out.]

Briar raised an eyebrow. She had a feeling she knew what it was. Sure enough, when she opened the attachment, it was an application form for Shoneport University.

She was surprised that he worked so fast.

With her hair nearly dry, she tossed the towel aside and pulled an old, bulky laptop from her suitcase. Sitting at the desk, she opened a folder, copied over her academic records and test scores, and filled out the form.

The whole thing took less than two minutes. She sent it back without a second thought.

Ashton accepted the file in no time, probably just waiting for her to respond.

After a short pause, he sent a brief message: [Got it.]

Then, weirdly, he sent an eye–roll emoji right after.

But as expected of him, he didn’t ask any questions. He simply forwarded Briar’s application straight to Marvin.

Marvin Goodwin–the president of Shoneport University–was from one of Shoneport’s four major families. The Goodwin family carried weight in both politics and business. Their influence was something most upper–class families wouldn’t even dare challenge.

Even the kids from Shoneport’s richest families tread carefully around Marvin, knowing he had the power to make or break their academic futures.

most well–liked principal among

the moment he saw Briar’s application.

Ashton.

still forced a smile when Ashton picked up.

Ashton

already prestigious, but it had a big gap in traditional medicine. In Dasmieca, traditional

how advanced modern medicine was, it still couldn’t compare to the steady, time–tested ways of traditional

there was the legend: Tristan. The world–renowned doctor who had once saved lives using the Golden Eighty–One Technique–his fame had practically made him

years to recruit real talent

moment he saw the

worst he’d ever seen. Her photo showed a pretty but wild–looking girl who clearly didn’t take things

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Chapter 8

Marvin’s years of experience, she didn’t look like someone who had the discipline

trouble.

figured Ashton wasn’t interested in her brains–he probably

the traditional medicine prodigy I told you about,” Ashton said plainly, not at all acknowledging Marvin’s near–breakdown on

I’m just worried this pretty girl

his cool. “Ashton, you

up.”

University only takes top

a moment. You’re saying you’re rejecting someone I

at Ashton’s sharp tone. His hand trembled a little as he held his phone. “No, that’s not what I meant. I just think if

his gaze on Marvin, that

look in

at just how