Dominance and Defiance

Chapter 30

Aiden's POV

Flashback

Madison approached me with an air of urgency. "Aiden, we need to talk," she said, her voice low and insistent.

I looked at her, suspicion already forming in my mind. Madison always had an agenda. As she handed me a folder, I opened it, my expression shifting from boredom to shock. Or at least, that’s what I let her think. Inside, there were documents accusing Amelia of cheating.

"This is about Amelia," Madison continued, her tone falsely confident. "I didn’t want to believe it either, but the evidence is clear. She’s been cheating her way through school. I thought you should know before it becomes a scandal."

Internally, I was laughing. How could she think I was such a fool? Her immature manipulation was almost amusing. Madison really believed she could sway me with this half-baked scheme.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, maintaining a facade of concern.

"Because I know you care about her," Madison replied smoothly. "And I thought you’d want to protect her. If this comes out, it will ruin her. She may be expelled, her goals will be snatched." The way she tried to snatch you, I tell myself mentally.

Oh, Madison, I thought. You really don’t get it, do you? Your petty jealousy is so transparent it's almost cute. I watched as she laid out her plan, clearly thinking she had me cornered.

As I flipped through the pages, my jaw clenched for effect. I could see the conflict she expected in my eyes, the struggle between my loyalty to Amelia and the damning evidence before me.

"What do you want?" I asked finally, pretending to be caught in the dilemma she created. I couldn’t wait to see what her big demand would be.

Madison’s satisfaction was humourous. The trap was set, and she thought Amelia’s world would come crashing down tonight. "It's simple," she said, leaning in slightly and lowering her voice. "At the prom tonight, I want you to humiliate her. Say something that will make everyone question her integrity, something that will hurt her reputation. Bully her in front of everyone."

Internally, I was almost rolling my eyes. Did she really think I'd turn on Amelia so easily? Madison’s underestimation of me was laughable.

"You want me to humiliate her publicly?" I asked, keeping my voice steady, lacing it with a touch of disbelief and anger.

"Yes," she replied calmly. "It will distract everyone from the fabricated documents. If you do this, these papers will never see the light of day. It's for her own good, Aiden."

I looked at Madison, struggling to keep a straight face. The turmoil in her eyes was real, but not for the reasons she thought. She was torn between her desire to ruin Amelia and her need to manipulate me.

"You're asking me to destroy her," I said, my voice low and dangerous, knowing that’s what she wanted to hear.

"I'm asking you to save her from a scandal that could ruin her future," Madison corrected, her tone smooth and convincing. "This is the lesser of two evils, Aiden. Do it, and you'll protect her in the long run."

I stared at the documents again, pretending to consider her words. Each second was heavy with the weight of my supposed decision. In reality, I was simply playing along, giving her the illusion of victory.

Then I walked away, feeling her eyes on me. Madison really thought she had won. But I couldn't help but smile to myself. The stage was set, all right, but not in the way she imagined.

As I moved through the crowd, I reflected on Madison's attempt at manipulation. Just last week, it seemed impossible for her to do anything against Amelia. But here she was, trying to pull the strings.