Chapter 2

Faced with the officer's question, I quickly raised my hand. "It was me. I'm Margot. I made the call. Someone's trying to frame me for attempted murder."

Stella didn't say a word. She just sat there with her innocent, helpless act, making it look like I was the murderer without even opening her mouth.

I had been burned by this kind of thing way too many times in my previous life, so when Dash set me up, everyone was quick to buy his story about me.

Everyone saw me, a member of the Ellington family, as exactly the kind of person Dash painted: dumb, nasty, sharp-tongued, and willing to do whatever it took to get my way.

So this time, the moment Dash carried Stella off to the nurse's office, I used a piece of paper to carefully pick up the fruit knife Stella had used to hurt herself, making sure not to touch it directly.

I would never admit to something I didn't do, and there was no way I'd let Stella sling any more mud at me.

The officer's gaze followed my finger straight to Stella.

Stella jolted, waving her hands frantically as she whispered, "N-No, it wasn't me. I didn't."

I quickly took out the fruit knife, still carefully wrapped in paper. I said, "This is the knife Stella used to accuse me of trying to kill her. It's got her blood and fingerprints all over it, but none of mine."

Stella totally broke down. Her already swollen eyes flooded with fresh tears as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Margot, what grudge do you have against me?

"I told you I wasn't going to fight you on this, so why can't you just leave me alone? The SATs are coming up. I just want to focus on my studies. I don't have time for your mess.

"My family's broke, and the SATs are my only shot. Can you please not mess up my future? I'm begging you, okay?"

Stella's acting was seriously next-level.

Her dramatic begging made the officer frown, and he gave me a doubtful look. "Do you know that filing a false police report is a crime?" he said.

Stella noticed the officer's attitude change, and her sobs grew even louder. She gasped for air, but couldn't catch her breath, and passed out right there.

Dash gave me a hard glare and was about to carry her straight to the infirmary again.

I knew Stella was just pretending to faint, and there was no way I'd let her get away again, so I spoke up immediately, "Officer, I'm telling the truth.

"Everyone at school thinks I'm the person who tried to kill Stella, but that's not the real story. The first camera outside the classroom should have footage from about an hour ago, showing Stella inviting me to the restroom.

"That knife was hers. She threatened to hurt herself unless I kept my distance from Dash. But all I want is to focus on my studies. I have zero interest in Dash. And Stella even said—"

"That's enough," Stella snapped, waking up in Dash's arms, her face flushed with anger. "I didn't. You're making it up."

Seeing how we were both sticking to our stories and things had even escalated to physical harm, the officer decided on the spot to take Stella and me down to the station for questioning.

Stella totally lost it again. "I'm just a student. Why are you taking me in? I didn't hurt anyone."

But no matter how much she protested, she still got taken away.

Dash was brought along as a witness and ended up at the station with us.

Stella was so nervous that she barely dared to breathe. She answered every question the officer threw at her, didn't even try to lie or make up stories. She confessed everything without holding back.

The officer quickly decided that I had nothing to do with what happened today. It was all on Stella.

Thankfully, nothing major happened, so after the officer gave us a stern warning, we were free to go.

I asked them to record a video of Stella admitting what really happened and apologizing to me on camera. I promised I'd let it go after that, and the officer agreed.

Since she tried to frame me first, asking for this was totally fair. I wanted to protect myself.

Stella gave Dash a desperate, pleading look, hoping he'd speak up for her.

But Dash, now that he knew the truth, looked absolutely furious. His head hung low, and he stayed completely silent.

Stella was sobbing as she reluctantly helped me record the apology video.

*****

When we got back to school, our classmates saw Stella's swollen, tear-stained face and immediately crowded around, worried about her.

"Stella, what happened? Did Margot mess with you at the police station?"

"What did she do? Just tell us. We won't tolerate any scum who bullies their classmates."

The whole class was outraged, ready to have her back, but Stella didn't dare make up any more lies.

She just kept crying and crying. Our classmates were all worried sick, glaring at me in anger.

I didn't bother explaining. I just played the confession and apology video from Stella. In the video, she explained everything clearly, from start to finish.

It started with her showing off the massive amount Dash sent her, and ended with her holding a knife to her own neck, threatening me to never go near Dash again.

The whole class went dead silent.

After a long pause, someone finally broke the silence. "Damn, what a drama queen. I've seen a lot in my eighteen years, but this is next level."

Then, a storm of insults rained down on Stella, and she was crying so hard that she could barely breathe.

Dash looked like he was devastated with worry, his brows furrowed as he turned to me. "She did all this for me. If you've got a problem, take it out on me. Just leave her out of it."

I smiled and spat out, "What an idiot."

Dash was furious. "Margot, why are you being so impossible? I'll never forgive you for what you did today."

I waved him off. "Whatever."

Then, in a voice only Dash could hear, I whispered, "That money you snuck out of my card and sent to Stella? Your mom's salary is going to cover that."