Bones Learn To Listen When Silence Speaks by Ryn Miles 229

Chapter 229 

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The mocking whispers and gossip from the crowd made Tessa feel deeply uncomfortable. 

She bit back her anger and retorted, “How can you be so rude?” 

As soon as she finished, Mia let out a laugh. 

“If you’re really so proper, then why are you the homewrecker?” Mia shot back. 

The crowd’s gossip grew even louder. 

“She looks so put–together, but turns out she’s a homewrecker?” someone whispered. 

“Ugh, that’s nasty! I have zero respect for homewreckers!” another person chimed in. 

“I’m steering clear of her company. Not gonna apply there,” someone else added. 

Tessa’s composure, which had been holding up, was shredded by the wave of gossip around her. 

Right before Tessa could completely lose her dignity, someone cut in to defend her. “Homewrecker? Honestly, looks like someone else here fits that title better!” 

It was Kyler who spoke up. 

He hadn’t expected to walk into this mess the moment he arrived at the school. 

Seeing Tessa being gossiped about and put on the spot, he didn’t hesitate to step up for her. 

Just then, Aurelia came back from her phone call and walked right into the middle of that heated scene. 

She met Kyler’s glare head–on, his eyes full of accusation and disdain. 

Aurelia hesitated, feeling a wave of confusion. 

‘Is Kyler actually calling me the homewrecker right now?‘ Aurelia thought, stunned. 

‘Is he seriously trying to turn this all around on me?‘ she wondered, totally blindsided. 

Mia got what Kyler was hinting at, her eyes going wide in disbelief. 

‘How can someone be this dumb?‘ Mia thought, totally exasperated. 

“Cut the crap! Who’s the real homewrecker here?” Mia challenged Kyler. 

Tessa frowned, her eyes icy, but she kept her cool and tried to play it classy. “Forget it. There are too many people around. No point stooping to the level of people like that.” 

The more Tessa brushed it off, the more Kyler felt she was being treated unfairly. 

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He gave Mia a cold look. “If you’re so curious, why don’t you ask Ms. Corin instead?” 

‘So it’s me he’s calling the homewrecker? Aurelia thought, finally getting it. 

Aurelia kept her cool, not bothered at all by Kyler’s words. “Is that what Ms. Rowe told you, Kyler?” she asked, her voice steady and unhurried. 

As she spoke, her eyes flicked over to Tessa, who was being shielded by Kyler. 

That glance was razor–sharp, cutting right through the tension. 

Aurelia had never bothered to hold a grudge against Tessa for getting between her and Cassian. 

After all, Cassian was the one who strayed. If it hadn’t been Tessa, there would’ve just been another girl. 

But that didn’t give Tessa the right to spread lies and drag Aurelia’s name through the mud behind her back. 

Tessa was already feeling guilty, and when Aurelia gave her that razor–sharp look, she flinched without thinking. 

Kyler jumped in to defend her. “This has nothing to do with her! Tessa’s never the type to spread rumors or talk behind people’s backs!” 

He kept going, turning his glare on Aurelia. “No secret stays hidden forever. You know exactly what you’ve done, so stop acting all innocent.” 

‘She knew Cassian was Tessa’s fiancé, but she just kept chasing after him anyway, Kyler thought, his anger flaring. 

‘If that’s not homewrecker behavior, then what is?‘ he fumed inwardly. 

Aurelia shot him an icy look. “Honestly, I’m just as lost as everyone else. Why don’t we ask Ms. Rowe to set the record straight. Who’s the real homewrecker here?” 

Tessa’s expression froze on the spot. 

Mia jumped in, fanning the flames. “Yeah, enlighten us, Ms. Rowe. Who’s the real homewrecker here? I’m all ears.” 

The way they kept coming at her made Kyler’s frown deepen. 

‘Aurelia’s no saint, and her friends aren’t any better,‘ Kyler thought with a sneer. 

‘Birds of a feather really do flock together,‘ he scoffed to himself. 

Just as Kyler was about to jump in again, Tessa suddenly spoke up. “Cassian, what are you doing here?” 

She immediately left Kyler’s side and went to link arms with Cassian, her voice turning all soft and sweet. “Didn’t you say you had something to take care of today and couldn’t make it?” 

Aurelia’s gaze shifted to Cassian as well. 

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No one knew how long he’d been standing there, but judging by his expression, he’d probably been there for a while. 

He might’ve even caught the whole thing, 

He only showed up when Tessa was backed into a corner, like he’d been waiting for the perfect dramatic 

moment. 

The rest of the time, he just played the part of a bystander, acting like it was all someone else’s problem. 

Even when Aurelia was being called a homewrecker, he didn’t even bother to speak up for her, not even once. 

Cassian replied to Tessa first, his tone gentle. “I was worried about you, so once I wrapped things up, I swung by to see how you were doing.” 

Mia could barely hold back her anger watching this scene unfold. 

‘Who does he think he is, treating Aurelia like this?‘ Mia fumed inwardly. 

From the moment he showed up, his eyes just brushed past Aurelia with total indifference, not lingering for even a second. 

It was like he didn’t even know her. 

‘Seven years down the drain, just wasted on someone like him,’ Mia thought bitterly. 

“Mr. Locke, just in time! Why don’t you settle this for us? Who’s the real homewrecker here?” Mia fired off, her tone cutting. 

“Think you can just stand on the sidelines? Dream on!‘ Mia thought. ‘No way I’m letting you off that easy!” 

Mia was hell–bent on dragging Cassian right into the thick of it. 

If he even tried to deny it, she’d air out every last thing Aurelia had done for him over those seven years. Nothing held back. 

Cassian gave Mia a cold, warning look. 

It was a clear warning. 

But Mia didn’t back down. She stared him right in the eye, refusing to be intimidated. 

Cassian’s gaze swept past Mia, barely glancing at Aurelia, his expression flat. His voice was cold and emotionless. “Ms. Turner, haven’t you heard? In a relationship, the one who isn’t loved is the real homewrecker.” 

“Aurelia, you really shouldn’t have held me back! I should’ve just shut that jerk and his side chick up for good!” 

Mia fumed. 

Mia chugged an entire bottle of ice water, but it did nothing to cool the fire burning inside her. 

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She never would’ve thought Cassian could be so heartless. 

With just one sentence, he wiped away everything Aurelia had given him over the past seven years. 

‘Seriously, what a heartless bastard!‘ Mia cursed inwardly, her blood boiling. 

“Another one!” Mia demanded. 

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She felt like she was about to blow a fuse. Ice water was the only thing keeping her from totally losing it. 

“Go easy on the ice water,” Aurelia said, handing her a bottle of room–temperature water, sounding totally unfazed. 

When Cassian said that, Aurelia’s heart dropped for a second. 

Even in the middle of summer, a chill ran through her. 

It took a while, but she finally started to feel normal again, her feelings settling, nothing left but calm. 

Alfred came over in person, apologizing profusely to Aurelia. He explained that his staff had acted thoughtlessly, which led to the whole misunderstanding. 

He even made it clear that Aurelia could choose any seat she liked. 

Even the staff member who’d caused the trouble was brought over to apologize to Aurelia. 

In the end, Alfred warmly invited Aurelia to attend the graduation ceremony. 

With such a warm invitation, Aurelia couldn’t say no. 

The school had invited a bunch of guests, and by the time Aurelia showed up, the front row was already filled with people. 

Cassian and Tessa were right there among the prominent guests in the front row. 

Alfred had Aurelia take the seat to his right, basically giving her the second seat of honor. 

After all, this was Alfred’s turf. The main seat was always his. 

On his other side sat Jonathan. 

As Aurelia walked over, she caught sight of Jonathan and was momentarily taken aback. 

‘Isn’t that the foreign guy Mia snapped a photo of with Tessa?‘ Aurelia thought, surprised. 

‘Wait, he’s Jonathan William?‘ she realized, still a bit stunned. 

Maybe noticing her gaze, Jonathan flashed Aurelia a bright, friendly smile. 

Tessa had been talking with Cassian, but when she noticed Aurelia, her face briefly lost its warmth. 

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When she saw Aurelia sitting right next to Alfred, she couldn’t help but frown. 

‘Why is Alfred giving Aurelia so much importance? Tessa wondered, genuinely confused. 

Right as that thought crossed her mind, Alfred walked over to speak with her. 

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“Sorry, Ms. Rowe, I’ve set up a different booth for you. It’s in a pretty good spot. If your company ever needs anything down the line, just let me know. I’ll always make sure you get a prime location,” he said warmly. 

Even though Tessa felt a twinge of dissatisfaction, she put on a gracious front and replied, “Thank you for taking care of it.” 

Just before the ceremony officially kicked off, the last guest Alfred had invited finally arrived. 

Aurelia was busy texting Mia, trying to calm her down after everything that had happened. 

Someone sat down next to her. 

Before she could look up, the person beside her spoke up. “The ceremony’s about to start. Put your phone away and pay attention.”