Catherine's POV
The rest of the day was a blur of forced concentration and simmering rage. After the spectacle in the cafeteria, I couldn't focus on a single lecture. Every time I walked through the hallways, I felt the weight of a thousand stares.
Tessa walked beside me as we headed toward the campus exit, her expression mixed with pity and concern. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you? We could go to that cafe near the library, just hide out for a bit."
"No, Tessa. I just need to be away from here," I said, my voice tight. "I need a place where I don't have to look at Lucy or pretend that seeing Julian hold her hand didn't make me want to scream."
"But he looked like a robot, Catherine," Tessa noted. "I don't think he's happy with the situation."
"It doesn't matter how he looked. He did it. He chose to stand by her in front of everyone." I stopped at the curb and pulled out my phone to hail a ride.
"Where are you going? Back to the estate?"
