Chapter 190

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> *She plotted behind you once, and I can guarantee she'll do it again.*
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*- Arlo warns John about Cecile*

This is the 190th chapter of *unORDINARY*.

## Plot

Seraphina tries to get John to hear about their investigation into the attack on his house, but John still refuses to listen to anything they have to say. His declaration that they mean nothing to him still stands. Seraphina remembers that Claire advised her to forget everything she thought she knew about John and open her eyes to the violent monster she was dealing with. She decides the best course of action was to simply obey John and leave his presence for now. Isen follows suit, but John pulls him aside, to everyone's shock. Isen is warned that he is no longer allowed in the press room, and that Cecile is once more in charge of the press. Isen takes the sting out of John's act of spite by telling him he never wanted the job in the first place. His heart set on stamping out Isen's sass, John says that he was, in fact, angered by Isen revealing his secret to the school and wants to make him pay. This makes Isen nervous, but he manages to shoot back he's resigned to the fact that John is just looking for any feeble excuses to hurt people at this point.

Arlo decides to intervene and grabs John by the arm he's using to hold Isen up, forcing him to let go. Arlo then glares at Cecile, realizing that she must have been the reason an idiot like John managed to hide his secret during his crusade. He decides to try giving parting advice to the new King: be more discerning in choosing allies, as Cecile could not be relied on. John takes the advice with a grain of salt, considering that Arlo and Isen make an untrustworthy team themselves. Arlo continues to elaborate, while Cecile nervously realizes what Arlo is about to do. Arlo reminds John that she approached him after having been dismissed as head of the press, but was never told of the circumstances that led to said termination. Cecile calls out for Arlo to stop, but he manages to out her to John as the one who disobeyed orders to never allow Seraphina's power-loss to be exposed to the school. John is shocked to hear that Cecile, who pleads for him to ignore the accusation, would plot behind the Royals' backs so brazenly. John avoids giving Arlo the benefit of the doubt by pointing out the author of the article was at fault, and she had paid for it. Arlo decides that if John stubbornly refuses to use his head, then he deserves whatever he has coming. Determined to put Arlo in his place again, John orders Cecile to activate her ability so he can copy it. She begins to advise that it's not a good idea, but Arlo faces the threat head-on with the confidence that Cecile's ability alone won't be enough to beat him. Seraphina stops the fight by telling Arlo that escalating things won't help anyone now, and insists that they leave. Arlo agrees, and leaves the King to rave in frustration with an unsatisfied bloodlust.

John slaps Cecile for not giving him access to her ability. Cecile, face bruised and bleeding, admits she didn't want a fight breaking out in her workspace. John tells her that what *she* wants doesn't matter, and that her life will be a living hell if she disobeys him again. John circles back to the topic of the article about Seraphina, to Cecile's terror. He tells her to stow her excuses, and that he doesn't want to mull over who is technically at fault. However, as a precaution, he adds a few caveats to Cecile's new position. First, John tells Cecile that he would not be manipulated into giving her special treatment. Second, while she may lead the press, it belongs to him, like everything else in school. As such, the paper will publish nothing without his say-so. Finally, John would hold Cecile accountable for any and all information that gets out without his approval.

Isen is glad that they all got out of there unscathed. Seraphina continues to be vexed by John threatening and shutting out everyone who tries to help him. Isen then realizes that he was dismissed from his position before he could release the latest issue of the Wellston Weekly advertising Safe House. Seraphina and Arlo ask what he's talking about. He explains that Remi and Blyke were starting a club where students can peacefully hang out. Now that he has all the free time in the world, Isen decides to join them, and he begins leading the two to Room 224.

## Appearing Characters

* John
* Cecile
* Seraphina
* Arlo
* Isen
* Claire (flashback)