LOGINLucy jumped as her phone vibrated against the wooden table in the silent room. She looked at the screen. It was her mother. Since Adrian had installed the tracking app and blocked her unknown contacts, every call felt like a potential explosion. She swiped to answer, her fingers trembling."Hey mom. How are you?" Lucy asked, her voice tight."Lucy! He’s awake!" Martha’s voice was high-pitched. "Your father opened his eyes about ten minutes ago. He’s looking around. The nurses are with him now.""I’m coming right now," Lucy said.She grabbed her bag and ran out of the room. She didn't even bother to check the mirror or change out of her casual clothes. As she burst through the dormitory’s heavy front doors, she saw a black car parked at the curb. A man in a dark suit, one of Adrian’s personal security guards, stepped out and opened the back door. He didn't say a word. He just pointed to the seat.Lucy realized then that the tracking app wasn't the only way Adrian was watching her. He h
Lucy sat at her desk, trying to focus on her notes, but the silence of the dorm room felt heavy. Zoe had left early, claiming she had errands to run for her "mystery man." Lucy took the opportunity to check her hidden folder one last time, sending a quick "I miss you" to Jonathan before deleting the trace.Someone suddenly started banging the door aggressively. Just before she could stand up, the door swung open. Adrian stood in the doorway. His eyes looked bloodshot and he wasn’t wearing his usual polished suit. He didn't say hello, he just barged into the room and kicked the door shut behind him."Give it to me," he said, his voice a low, dangerous growl.Lucy stood up, her legs trembling. "Give you what, Adrian? What are you doing here? You can't just burst into my room.""The phone, Lucy. Now." He held out his hand, his fingers twitching. "I’ve been watching the logs on the family plan. You’ve been active at odd hours. My father’s security team flagged several long outgoing calls
Lucy walked back to the dorm with her head down. The interaction with the professor kept playing in her head. When she entered the room, it was empty. Zoe was out, likely already preparing for the shopping trip or meeting her new boyfriend. Lucy dropped her bag on the floor and climbed into bed without changing her clothes.She pulled out her phone and opened the hidden folder. She called Jonathan."Hey," he answered on the second ring. His voice was warm and calm. "How was the test?""Awful," Lucy whispered, a tear escaping and hitting her pillow. "I fell asleep at my desk last night and missed the last three chapters. I barely finished half the questions. The professor pulled me aside afterward.""Lucy, hey, listen to me," Jonathan said firmly but gently. "One test does not define you. You’ve been through a lot this week. Anyone else would have collapsed days ago. You’re human, not a machine."They talked for a long time. Jonathan told her about a project he was working on. As he sp
Lucy groaned as she woke up, her neck stiff and her back aching. As she blinked her eyes open, she realized she wasn't in her bed. She was still sitting at her desk, her forehead resting on the open pages of her art history textbook. She sat up slowly, rubbing her sore neck. Across the room, Zoe was standing in front of the full-length mirror, blotting her lipstick with a tissue. She was already fully dressed in a stylish knit dress and tall boots."Zoe?" Lucy’s voice was thick with sleep. She glanced at the clock on the wall and her heart stopped. It was 8:15 AM. Her test started at nine. "Why didn't you wake me up? "Zoe didn't turn around. She adjusted her hair in the mirror, her expression neutral. "I saw you passed out pretty hard, Lucy. Honestly, you looked like you really needed the sleep. I figured ten more minutes wouldn't hurt, and then I got distracted getting ready. I thought your alarm would go off eventually.""My alarm was set for six," Lucy said, grabbing her phone. T
## Chapter Fifty-Five: The Two WorldsJonathan sat at the head of the table surrounded by six senior executives at the Blake Holdings building. He was no longer wearing a worn-out hoodie or carrying a backpack. He wore a charcoal-grey suit tailored to his frame, a crisp white shirt, and a silk tie. His hair was brushed back, revealing the sharp expression he usually hid from the world.His Uncle Marcus sat to his right, leaning back with his arms crossed. Marcus didn't speak; he was there to watch his nephew take the lead."The Matthews Global quarterly report was released this morning," Jonathan said. He didn't look at his notes. He kept his eyes on the executives. "At first, they look like they are doing well. But if you look closely at their debts, you see the truth. They owe way too much money.""They have the Quinn merger to stabilize them, Mr. Blake," one of the older executives said. "Once that contract is signed, their valuation will jump. It will be much harder to move agains
The library was almost silent, the few remaining students were huddled at the far end of the floor, their backs turned. They were completely hidden in their shadow-drenched corner.Jonathan turned his gaze back to Lucy. His hand was still resting on her arm, his thumb tracing small circles against her skin. He didn't just lean in. He stopped, his face inches from hers, his eyes searching hers with a raw, quiet sincerity."Can I kiss you?" he asked. His voice was so low. Lucy didn't reply with words. She couldn't have found them if she tried. Instead, she leaned in, closing the small gap between them. When his lips finally met hers, the rest of the world simply evaporated.Jonathan’s mouth claimed hers slowly. His hand slid from her arm to the back of her neck, fingers threading into her hair as he tilted her head just enough to deepen the kiss. His lips were warm, soft yet insistent, moving against hers with a deliberate rhythm that made her stomach tighten and her toes curl.Lucy g
The atmosphere in the small apartment remained tense, despite the cool rain outside. Jonathan seemed to realize he had pushed too far. He saw the way her lip trembled, the way her eyes searched his for a lie she couldn't find. He sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his damp hair."I’m goin
The ride ended in a narrow alleyway behind a row of old brick buildings. Jonathan put off the engine. "We’re here," he said, his voice raspy.Lucy came down with shaky legs, her knees nearly buckling. Jonathan caught her by the elbow, steadying her as he led her toward a heavy steel door. He fumbl
Lucy barely felt the cold morning air, as Adrian dragged her to the administrative courtyard. His grip on her upper arm was extremely tight, his fingers digging into the soft skin just above where her bruise was starting to turn yellow. Zoe followed a few paces behind, pretending to be worried. "A
The ride home from the Matthews estate was quiet. Adrian was already tipsy from drinking too much wine. He kept his hand on Lucy’s thigh, his thumb stroking the red silk of the dress Zoe had picked out. Lucy sat still staring out at the blurred streetlights, feeling the cold night air from the wind







