HOPE HOSPITAL – UNITED STATES Crunch. Crunch. The unmistakable sound of an apple being bitten echoed through the dim hospital room. Soft, rhythmic beeping hummed from the monitor beside the bed. A sterile scent hung thick in the air, faintly mingling with antiseptic and latex. In the center of the room, wrapped almost entirely in bandages, lay a young woman. Only her pale, freckled face peeked through the layers—swollen, burned, and raw. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, gently hissing with every mechanical breath pumped into her. Seated beside her, poised and regal, was a woman in her late thirties. She wore a sleeveless designer dress, blood-red lipstick, and heels that clicked like gunfire when she walked. Her dark hair was perfectly coiffed—no strand out of place. In her hand was a shiny red apple, half-eaten. The color matched her lips exactly. The door creaked open and a man in a white coat walked in holding a medical file. He paused upon seeing her. “Good evening
Sophia’s POV MORANO’S MANSION – LEONARD’S BEDROOM “Good evening, my lady,” Grace said softly as she stepped into the room, balancing a tray of steaming tea. The sound of the rain outside hadn’t stopped for hours—it poured relentlessly like the sky itself was grieving. I was curled up at the edge of the bed, wearing Leonard’s oversized shirt, staring at the rain streaking across the window glass. “Is my husband back?” I asked, shifting as she placed the tray on the dressing table. “Not yet,” Grace replied, glancing toward the tall grandfather clock in the corner. Its ticking suddenly sounded louder than usual. “It’s past 9 p.m. He should be on his way.” She approached me with the cup, the faint aroma of ginger and cinnamon filling the room. But just as she leaned forward, she paused. “My lady… did something enter your eye?” she asked, frowning slightly as she took a closer look. “What?” I asked quickly, trying to shift my gaze away. “Your eye is red. Are you alright?” Grace re
DIEGO ROSSI'S MANSION – DIEGO'S OFFICE“Boss… it’s gone. The ship—your casino—it was hit before it reached the port.”The words hit harder than bullets.The guard stood breathless, sweat rolling down his temple as he leaned against the doorway of Diego Rossi’s grand office room, which smelled of cedarwood and cigars.Diego Rossi, seated behind his custom mahogany desk, turned slowly on his black leather swivel chair. His cigarette hung from his lips as if suspended by rage alone. His eyes were blank at first—processing. Then they narrowed into dangerous slits.“What did you just say?” Diego’s voice dropped into a quiet storm.“They cleaned it out, sir. Vault, chips, weapons, everything. No trace. No witnesses.”Diego stood up with sudden force, pushing the chair backward as it scraped against the floor.“You mean to tell me… I built an empire on that ship, paid off half the port, timed every goddamn delivery—only for some ghost to take it before I even touched the dock!?” he roared.T
Sophia’s POV CRYSTAL UNIVERSITY – CAMPUS HALLWAY "There she is. Miss Invisible trying to be somebody," Tina sneered as I stood there still drying the coffee stain off my shirt with tissue. "Did you see her face when Conrad talked to her in class yesterday?" Lina chimed in. "Like a confused puppy. So cute," Tina replied with a chuckle, mock sympathy coating her voice. It was obvious what this was. Another one of Elena’s orchestrated scenes. She stood at the center, her arms crossed, her blonde hair cascading perfectly down her shoulder like she was in some magazine shoot. Of course, her ever-present shadows, Tina and Lina, flanked her like programmed minions. Students passing by slowed their steps. Some stopped outright. The hallway, once noisy with laughter and footsteps, shifted into a silent but charged space filled with murmurs. I heard the whispers behind my back. "Isn’t that the girl who confessed to a guy and got publicly rejected?" "Wait, is that not Sophia?" "Did she
Sophia’s POV CRYSTAL UNIVERSITY – ART STUDIO CLASSROOM "Will the lecturer be in class today?" I asked Mercy as we both walked into the bustling art studio filled with the scent of paint, varnish, and coffee. "Yeah. Didn’t you see her message on the platform?" Mercy asked while adjusting her satchel. "I did, but the time is passing. She’s usually never this late," I replied, scanning the classroom. Students were spread across the room—some chatting, others flipping through sketchbooks, and a few already prepping their paint palettes as if warming up for something serious. The hum of voices surrounded us, but my ears picked out the sound of the door opening again. I turned instinctively—and there he was. Conrad. He walked in confidently, wearing that same self-assured smirk, but his eyes… his eyes locked on mine like I was the only one in the room. The same way they used to. My stomach flipped, and not in a good way. "Hey, his eyes are still locked on you," Mercy whisper
Sophia’s POVMORANO'S MANSION – DINING TABLE“Logan, are you okay?” I asked softly, my eyes on him as he kept shifting his fork through the eggs and bread like he was dissecting them instead of eating. He hadn’t taken more than two bites since we all sat down.“I’m okay,” he replied quickly, forcing a weak smile that didn’t even reach his eyes.That lie couldn’t fool me. I knew Logan well enough to sense when something was bothering him. And this — this mood, this energy — it reeked of conflict. And if I had to guess, it had something to do with Massimo.Leonard, who had just taken a bite from his toast, reached over with his fork and dropped an extra piece of bread onto my plate.“Eat more so that you’ll focus in school,” he said warmly, flashing me that gentle smile that only I seemed to get from him.“Thank you,” I replied, my lips curling into a grateful smile.I reached for my tea as the quiet clinking of cutlery filled the room. But every few seconds, I could feel Leonard’s eyes