LOGINElena's heart was racing, though she couldn't tell if it was from the scene they'd stumbled upon or his sudden, protective proximity.
She stood perfectly still, letting him shield her. After what felt like an eternity, he slowly pulled his hand away, his fingers sliding down to catch her wrist. "Let's go." He led her the long way around, avoiding the corridor. His palm was dry and warm, and he didn't let go once. It wasn't until they stepped out of the building and inThe bell for evening study hall had just rung when Maya Reed grabbed my wrist, her voice dropped to an excited whisper as she dragged me toward the wooded grove behind the gym. "The prom queen is making her move," she hissed, her eyes dancing. "Elena Voss, you have to see this. Rhea is about to confess to Luke Cole right now!" My heart hit the floor. It felt like a lead weight sinking through my chest. "I'm not going..." I tried to pull back, my chest tightening until it was hard to breathe. "Come on! This is the drama of the century. You can't miss it!" Maya was relentless. Half-pulling, half-dragging, she hauled me to the very edge of the trees. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving the world bathed in a hazy, amber glow. The air was thick and cloying, saturated with the sweet, almost intoxicating scent of blooming osmanthus. Maya pulled me behind a massive flowering bush. We stood there, breath shallow and ragg
Elena's heart was racing, though she couldn't tell if it was from the scene they'd stumbled upon or his sudden, protective proximity. She stood perfectly still, letting him shield her. After what felt like an eternity, he slowly pulled his hand away, his fingers sliding down to catch her wrist. "Let's go." He led her the long way around, avoiding the corridor. His palm was dry and warm, and he didn't let go once. It wasn't until they stepped out of the building and into the damp, cool night air that Elena felt the heat in her face begin to subside. She stole a glance at him. Luke's profile looked exceptionally sharp and cold in the dim light of the rainy night.Was he nervous too? The thought sent a tiny, secret spark of sweetness through her chest. But then reality hit her like a bucket of ice water. There was a chasm between them. She couldn't cross it, and he wasn't supposed to either. Guilt coiled around her heart, ti
The lingering heat of summer was swept away by the crisp winds of September. The freshman registration area was a chaotic symphony of shouting and frantic energy. Elena Voss stood at a small table, her head down as she filled out her registration forms. The surrounding chatter buzzed in her ears like static. "Did you hear? Over in the prep year building..." "The golden boy from the Academy! I heard he actually came here to retake the year. People say he was only two points short of an Ivy League track." "Are you serious? Why? Isn't the Academy supposed to be elite?" "Retaking a year over two points? He’s a total psycho." "His face is even crazier. One look and you’re ruined for life. He is absolutely gorgeous..."The Academy’s golden boy. Those words were a secret code, instantly igniting a hidden fuse in her chest. Elena’s pen stuttered. He was retaking the year? Here? How was that possible?
That summer, right after middle school graduation, Elena was sent to stay at the Knight estate.On paper, it was an educational retreat—a chance for Alexander Knight to tutor her for the grueling high school curriculum ahead.In reality, it was a strategic move by their families. A way to "cultivate feelings" between two heirs destined for a corporate marriage.But Alexander was a ghost.The weight of the Knight Group consumed him. He left before sunrise and returned long after dark. Even when he was home, he was locked behind his study doors, a cold silhouette behind frosted glass.The only things he offered Elena were a distant back and polite, monosyllabic responses.The study assigned to Elena was grand and flooded with light, yet it felt like a gilded cage.Outside, the cicadas tore through the stifling afternoon heat with their relentless buzzing.Elena slumped over the mahogany desk, her pen tip stabbing the paper until it was rid
Elena caught a glimpse of his reflection in the chrome of the handlebars as they hit a bump—his ears were a deep, burning crimson. The discovery sent a jolt of electricity straight to her heart. The city’s most notorious troublemaker was actually blushing? Her fingers, which had been white-knuckled against the hem of his shirt, loosened their grip slightly, but she didn't let go. If anything, she pressed closer. The bike finally rumbled to a halt at the mouth of a secluded alleyway near the Voss estate. The engine cut out, and the silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the dripping of rain from the eaves. The wet pavement shimmered under the hazy amber glow of the streetlights. Luke propped the bike up with one leg, keeping his body steady. Elena’s slender fingers were still tangled in the fabric of his soaked shirt, her knuckles brushing against the heat of his lower back. "We are here." His voice was raspy, almost a growl.
The first time the youngest of the Cole family was dragged to the Knight estate, his grandfather claimed it was to pay respects to an old ally. In reality, the old man wanted him to learn a thing or two from Alexander Knight—the golden boy, the perfect heir. Luke found it suffocating. While the adults traded pleasantries and business secrets, he slipped away to the back gardens, seeking refuge near the sprawling koi pond. That was when he saw her. A little girl crouched by the water's edge. She wore an exquisite white lace dress, her hair styled in a perfect, innocent bob. From behind, she looked tiny and fragile. Her shoulders were shaking with silent sobs. "Hey, kid. What are you crying for?" Seven-year-old Luke already had the aura of a troublemaker. His tone was far from friendly. The girl gasped, spinning around in terror. Her eyes were swimming with tears, her nose tipped with pink. She looked like a precious porcelai
Marcus White slammed his fist on the table."Who do you think you are?!""Lisa White, stay in line."His voice dropped to a menacing growl."Without the Whites, you're nothing but dust."Elaine White's fingers trembled with rage.She pointed a shaking finger at me.
Friday morning, ten o'clock.Knight Group execs packed the top-floor conference room.Ethan Knight stepped in. His gaze locked on the figure by the projector screen.I wore a milky satin shirt tucked tight into a slim skirt that hugged my narrow waist, the fabric clinging to my back and tracing the
A lingering gloom hung over the White Mansion.Since the scandal at Nebula Hotel and the ten million ransom, the White family had been severely weakened. Chloe White stayed home all day, her former arrogance gone.Winnie Carter’s visit felt like an unwelcome intrusion."Chloe
Pine Retreat Villa. Orchid Pavilion.I pushed the door open. The room buzzed with noise. Guests clinked crystal glasses. Laughter rang loud, sharp, totally fake."Oh, look who finally dragged herself here! The second daughter of the White family!"Chloe shot to her feet. She clampe







