MARRIED TO MR POPULAR

The sunlight slipped past my curtains before my alarm could scream. I groaned, turning on my side as the golden rays settled across my face, forcing my eyes open. Another day. Another reminder that life wasn’t as perfect as it looked from the outside.

The daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Crestwood should be happy, right? Pretty house. Fancy car. Everything money could buy. But no one talks about the quiet loneliness that lives behind designer walls.

I dragged myself up and stared into the mirror. My hair was a mess of brown waves, my eyes half-lidded and unwilling to face the day. “Just school,” I muttered. “You’ve survived worse.”

Downstairs, I could already hear Mom’s voice echoing — sharp, controlled, the kind of tone that could cut through glass. She was on another business call. Dad’s company had been struggling for months, but no one was supposed to know. Crestwood’s elite thrived on secrets, and mine was just starting to boil.

I slipped into my uniform, straightened the plaid skirt, and grabbed my bag. The smell of coffee drifted from the kitchen, but before I could reach it, the front door burst open.

“Cyn!”

Only one person called me that.

Louisa Reynolds my best friend since we were five breezed in like a hurricane, phone in one hand, lip gloss in the other. Her curls bounced as she plopped her bag onto the couch. “Girl, why do you look like you’ve been up all night?”

“Because I have,” I muttered. “My parents had another argument. Something about a meeting with the Sanchese family today.”

Louisa froze mid-gloss. “Wait. The Sanchese family? As in Xavier’s dad the billionaire? The one who basically owns half the city?”

I nodded, half-dreading where this conversation was going.

Louisa gasped dramatically. “Please tell me they’re not trying to...”

“Don’t even say it,” I warned, slipping my books into my bag.

But her grin was too mischievous to ignore. “Cynthia Hart, if you end up related to Xavier Sanchese, I swear—”

“Impossible.” I cut her off, forcing a laugh I didn’t feel. “Xavier doesn’t even know I exist.”

That wasn’t entirely true. He did know me just not in the good way. He was Crestwood Academy’s golden boy: smart, rich, confident, and maddeningly good-looking. The kind of guy teachers adored and girls planned their futures around.

And me? I was the quiet one who sat two rows behind him, pretending not to care.

We walked out to my car, the morning air crisp against my skin. The city sparkled in the distance, tall and untouchable just like Xavier Sanchese himself.

As I started the engine, Louisa was still rambling about her latest crush. I tried to listen, but my mind kept drifting back to Mom’s voice from earlier. “The meeting will change everything,” she’d said.

Everything.

By the time we got to school, the parking lot was already buzzing. Luxury cars lined the entrance, and groups of students laughed in clusters. My stomach twisted when I saw the black convertible parked near the gate.

Xavier’s car.

And as if summoned by thought, he stepped out — tall, composed, in that infuriatingly casual way only he could pull off. His dark hair caught the morning light, and his sharp eyes scanned the crowd before landing briefly too briefly on me.

“Earth to Cynthia,” Louisa whispered, nudging me. “You’re staring.”

“I am not.”

“You totally are.” She grinned. “And he totally saw you.”

Before I could reply, my phone buzzed. A message from Mom.

Come home early after school. We have something important to discuss. Dress nicely.

My fingers tightened around the phone. A strange chill ran through me.

Louisa peeked over my shoulder. “Ooo, what’s going on?”

I forced a shaky smile. “No idea. But I have a bad feeling.”

She laughed it off, but I couldn’t shake the unease crawling up my spine.

As the school bell rang and students poured inside, I took one last glance toward Xavier. He was laughing with his friends, carefree and radiant, like someone who would never know what it felt like to be trapped by decisions that weren’t his.

If only I’d known then that by nightfall, my life and Xavier Sanchese’s would no longer be separate stories.

They’d be one.

And neither of us would have a choice.

The last bell of the day rang through the marble halls of Hillcrest Academy, echoing like a sigh of relief. Cynthia gathered her books carefully, ignoring the excited chatter around her. Louisa was already leaning against her locker, scrolling through her phone.

“Did you hear?” Louisa said, not even looking up. “Xavier Sanchese just rejected Tasha. Again.”

Cynthia rolled her eyes as she shut her locker. “Why do you people keep score of who he rejects? It’s ridiculous.”

Louisa grinned. “Because he’s the school’s royalty, duh. Every girl wants a chance to melt that frozen heart. Except you, of course.”

“Obviously,” Cynthia replied, adjusting the strap of her designer backpack. “I prefer sanity.”

They laughed, walking out into the golden afternoon. Cynthia tried not to look toward the parking lot, but she still caught sight of him tall, dark-haired, leaning against his black sports car, surrounded by his friends. His tie was loose, his expression unreadable.

Xavier glanced her way. Just for a second. But it was enough. Cynthia looked away quickly, pretending to be fascinated by her shoes.