The Rejected True Heiress (Liora) novel Chapter 50

“That was one time.”

“I don’t care. You sent out the order to have her hung, then vanished like a coward–and you think no one’s gonna say anything? I knew you were a jerk, but I didn’t peg you for spineless.”

I shoved back from the desk and stood. “Watch your tongue.”

“I’ll watch it when you give me a reason.”

“What’s your obsession with Liora?” I snapped. “You’ve spent the last two years sleeping through class, hooking up with anything that breathes, flirting with a damn wall if it had curves–so why her? Why do you

care so much about my fated mate?”

Zane met my glare, his voice low and sharp. “Gonna stop you right there. She’s not yours. Not anymore. You’re actively choosing Bianca–hell, you’re betrothed to her. You don’t get to play both sides. You get one mate,

Callum. And it’s clear which one you picked. So stop screwing with Liora. She doesn’t deserve it.”

“I’m not trying to-”

“I don’t care what you’re trying to do,” he cut in, snapping to his feet, voice rising with each word. “I care what

you did. You took her on some dreamy midnight stroll and then handed her a social death sentence the next day.

What kind of coward move is that?”

I opened my mouth to snap back—but he didn’t give me the chance.

His fist slammed into my jaw before I could decide to dodge or not.

Pain bloomed across my cheekbone as my head snapped sideways, chair screeching behind me. I caught myself, blinking past the sting. We’ve sparred before, but Zane’s never hit like that.

“What the hell-” I growled, wiping blood from my lip.

“She didn’t need saving, dumbass,” he spat, chest heaving. “She needed you to not be a coward.”

Silence swallowed the room, broken only by the drip of blood hitting the desk.

I eventually flopped back into the chair behind me, jaw throbbing. “You done playing hero, or need another swing?”

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8:34 AM Thu 2 Oct

Chapter 50

He didn’t answer.

“Right,” I muttered. “Easier when I’m the villain.”

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“Because you are,” he snapped. “You sic the school on her and then ghost her. Try picking on someone who can

hit back.”

I scoffed. “Liora’s not weak. If she wanted, she could take down this entire school, including you and me. But

that’s not the point, is it?”

“Then what is it?” he barked, slamming a palm to the desk. “Because from where I’m standing, you led her on,

bailed, and ruined her life for sport.”

“You think I wanted this?” I snarled. “You think I wanted to push her away?”

“Um, you did. And she’s the one bleeding for it.”

“She was going to get hurt either way,” I muttered, turning away. “You don’t know what I’m up against.”

“Then tell me.”

My jaw locked. For a second, I couldn’t speak. Then I exhaled and let it out.

“My parents. Bianca. They threatened her.”

Zane froze.

“They know she’s my fated mate. They found out about us on that night walk. Said if I even look at her again,

she’s gone. Quietly. Permanently.”

Still, he said nothing.

“So yeah,” I went on, voice hollow, “I gave the order. Better they see her as a nobody getting picked on than

someone I care about. This was the only way I could protect her.”

The silence stretched, thick and awful.

Zane’s jaw flexed. “So your solution was to make her hate you.”

I nodded. “Maybe if it got bad enough, she’d leave the school.”

And then he punched me again.

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My head snapped to left, catching myself on the desk’s edge. Lights sparked behind my eyes.

“Ow,” I muttered, rubbing my cheek. “Seriously? Again?”

But he was already at the window, pausing in the frame.

“So… you do care about her.”

I hesitated, then gave the smallest nod.

“Would’ve been easier if you didn’t,” he muttered.

“I know.”

He lingered.

“You should’ve told her. You think being alone in this made it easier?”

He glanced back once, eyes hard.

“She’s not your pawn, Callum. She’s your equal. Or she was.”

Then he was gone, leaving nothing but wind and silence.

I touched my cheek again, already swollen. For a second, I wished he’d hit harder. Maybe it’d rattle the guilt loose. Or dull the part of me that still wanted to run to her.

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