Chapter 1

Olivia’s POV

I squeezed my way through the lines of bodies crowding the dorm hallway as laughter filtered through the air and streams of confetti lay strewn on the tiled floor.

A camera went off and I'm momentarily stunned by the flash.

“Hey!” Someone shoved me. I tripped on my heels and nearly face plant the wall, regaining my balance at the last possible second.

"Sorry." I turned to the green-haired girl currently glaring at me for photo bombing her group picture.

"Let it go, Lena." One of her friends threw an arm over her shoulders. She scoffed in response. I walked away, my shoulders held a bit too tightly.

I finally reached my room at the end of the hallway. My hand lingered over the ornate door handle; 4 years had made me oddly attached to the place.

I tossed my certificate on my bed, the only tangible thing I'd taken from Gretworth. My eyes stung and I blinked away the tears.

I opened up my suitcase on the bed and start folding my clothes in. I'm interrupted by the roar of an engine. I walked to the window and pull the curtains back just in time to see an Audi drive past. I rolled my eyes.

I had told him not to come.

Still, I couldn’t resist taking out my compact mirror and applying lip gloss. I smacked my lips a few times and pinched my cheeks to give them color.

“Olivia!” my room door swung open. I whirled around to face it, my hand flying to my chest.

Sasha.

She had to have a tracker on Dylan. She always seemed to know wherever he was. She was his girlfriend in sophomore year and never quite got over him.

I looked up at her, dressed up in a pink baby doll dress and white louboutins. She was also surrounded by her posse, a group of girls whose names I couldn't be bothered to remember.

“Sasha” I forced as much enthusiasm into my tone but it still fell flat.

“Congratulations” She eyed my certificate at its forgotten spot at the corner of my bed.

“It's no summa cum laude, but isn't it amazing you managed to graduate this year?” She clasped her hands together and the smile I gave in response is terse.

“Thank you,” I replied.

“I heard Dylan’s coming. You're so lucky.” minion 1 swooned. Another girl elbowed her for her lack of tact.

I fisted my hands, quickly releasing them once I noticed.

She was right. I was lucky to have THE Dylan Moretti as my step brother, a fact that had caused me equal joy and pain over the years.

“You're packing?” Sasha asked, eyeing my box and the half deserted state of my room. “You’re not staying for the after party?”

“No, it wouldn't be fun. At least, not to me” I replied. She opened her mouth to reply me–

“Livvie.” I smelled him before I saw him, woody with a hint of spice. I turned to the door.

He stood there, dressed casually in jeans and a black button up shirt. Stubble had grown on his chin, it hadn't been there the last time I saw him.

“I told you, you didn't have to come” I whined, though the huge smile on my face betrays the sentiment. My heart swelled just at his presence.

“And miss your graduation?” he smiled, his green eyes glinting mischievously. He pushed off the door frame where he'd been leaning on, covering the distance between us with two long strides.

He engulfed me in a hug, his hands settling on my waist. I resisted the urge to rub my head in the crook of his neck, or stroke the brown tendrils falling at the nape of his neck.

“Congratulations,” he murmured into my hair. A shiver trailed down my spine. I reluctantly pulled away from him.

“I thought you had a meeting with the suppliers,” I asked. Mum had told me, warned me more precisely not to act like a spoilt brat and demand he attends.

“Rescheduled it.” He shrugged. My toes curled at that.

“It's not more important than my sister,” he smiled. My heart fell; he never failed to remind me. I stepped back.

“I can't believe they're related.” I heard someone scoff. It's accompanied by snickering.

“Let's go elsewhere.” I walked out of the room not bothering to look back, but the sound of his footsteps trailed after me.

“I parked my car this way.” He grabbed my hand and pulls me towards the parking lot. The warmth of his hand on mine is all I could focus on. I snatched my hand back.

“I can walk on my own”. He smiled at that. Guilt churned my stomach but I tamped it down.

He took out a blue velvet box from his passenger seat and held it out to me. The box is engraved with a silver lettering reading Bulgatti.

“Open it.” I stared at it for a while, and then opened the box.

“It's beautiful,” I gasped. It is a silver bracelet with the most beautiful sapphire stones decorating it, stones that have the same color of my eyes.

“I knew you'd like it.” He took the bracelet out of the box and clasped it on my wrist. I held out my hand, examining it.

“I don't think it suits me,” it looked cheap on me. I made a move to take it off.

“Nonsense” he halted my movements, taking my wrist in his hand and examining it.

“It looks exquisite on you” he finally said and heat crept up my neck.

“Thank you for the bracelet, I'll treasure it” I said and he just smiled.

“Let's go get your things and go home” he placed the box on the console and locked his car.

“Oh, no need. You go first” My face paled. My mother wouldn't appreciate me returning with him, least of all his aunt.

“Why would I do that?” He cocked a brow. Dylan would never understand. If I explained it to him, he would pick a fight with them.

“Dylan.” I sighed.

“Besides, I can't have you coming late for your own party”

“My what?”