Chapter 4

It took Kiera almost forever to understand what had happened. She stood there, stunned beyond words.

“You,” she finally managed to say, her expression livid. The anger she had been trying to contain was now clearly visible on her face.

Liam glanced at her with narrowed eyes.

“What is with that expression? I’m just giving us a chance to be free from each other.”

Kiera tilted her glass, ready to empty it over his trousers too. But before the first drop could fall, Victoria approached them.

“What a mess you’ve created,” Victoria gasped as she looked at the dark stain on Kiera’s dress. Then she looked at Kiera’s face. “Let’s go get you changed.”

Victoria dragged Kiera away with her.

“I promise you, you’re going to hate my comeback, asshole,” Kiera muttered, glancing back at Liam.

“Stop daydreaming, orphan,” Liam called back.

Victoria continued dragging her out of the hall.

As they walked through the hallway, Kiera seethed with anger, thinking of different ways to make Liam regret what he had done.

Then, a figure brushed past her.

The hallway was dimly lit, making it difficult to see the person’s face clearly.

But Kiera knew him.

Even if she had been woken from a deep sleep, she would have recognized that face.

“Tristan,” she murmured.

Never in her wildest imagination did she think of ever meeting him again. Her chest involuntarily tightened and her heartbeat increased slightly.

Her reaction to his presence made her hate herself. She shouldn't care, at least not after what he had done.

Victoria noticed her stop and turned around.

“Is something wrong?”

Kiera shook her head.

“Let’s go.”

Victoria frowned slightly.

“If something is wrong, you can tell me.”

“It’s nothing,” Kiera insisted.

Victoria had no choice but to let her be. She led Kiera to the restroom and instructed a servant to fetch a change of clothes from home.

The servant arrived minutes later, and Kiera changed into a short black gown that barely covered her thighs, paired with tall black heels.

She stood in front of the full-length mirror and studied her reflection.

“Your tattoo is beautiful,” Victoria murmured, her finger hovering over the butterfly tattoo on Kiera’s back.

Kiera’s expression tightened.

Her hand immediately went to the hair tie holding her hair in place. She pulled it off, and her brown, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, covering her exposed back.

She didn't want to talk about it—not with someone who might actually care about her. The tattoo hid a painful past and a dark truth about herself.

Victoria didn't press the issue, something Kiera was grateful for.

But one look at Victoria’s face told Kiera that she was still thinking about it.

Kiera didn't bother explaining herself.

“I’ll return to the hall.”

“We should,” Victoria agreed.

The two of them left the room.

By the time they reached the hall, Kiera muttered a silent prayer.

Please don't let me go back to that asshole.

For once, it seemed the heavens were on her side.

“Kiera, let me introduce you to some people,” Victoria said.

“Oh, good heavens,” Kiera murmured in relief.

But before she could sigh, another thought struck her.

Wait. Introduce me to people? Doesn't that mean I still have to interact with them?

Before Kiera could protest, Victoria had already pulled her toward a group of girls.

There were three of them, and the moment they spotted Victoria, they smiled.

“Mrs. Cole.”

“I already told you guys. You can call me Victoria,” Victoria replied with a smile.

“Victoria,” they chorused.

Victoria’s smile widened.

She turned toward Kiera.

“Here is my daughter, Kiera.”

“Hi,” the three girls greeted together.

Kiera waved in response without saying anything.

Victoria proceeded with the introductions.

“Kiera, they’re your future college classmates. They’re also in their third year.” She pointed toward the girl on the left, whose smile seemed slightly forced. “This is Lyra.”

Then she pointed toward the cute girl in the middle with slightly chubby cheeks.

“This is Sienna.”

Finally, she pointed toward the girl on the right.

“And this is Zara.”

“No need to introduce us. We’re familiar,” Zara interrupted.

The word familiar made Kiera cringe.

They had only met once.

“You’re familiar?” Victoria asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” Zara replied.

“Great, then. I’ll leave you girls to get to know each other better.”

Victoria pulled Kiera aside and whispered, “Try your best to get along with them so you won't be lonely in college. But if you ever feel uncomfortable, call me and I'll come get you.”

Her words made Kiera feel like a little girl.

Yet an unfamiliar warmth spread through her chest.

Because no one had ever assured her that when things failed they would come running to get her, at least not for the past eight years.

Kiera nodded in response.

Victoria released her, and Kiera returned to the girls.

Zara pulled out the chair beside her.

“Sit here.”

“Thank you,” Kiera muttered before sitting down.

“Your mother is terrible at whispering. We heard everything she said,” Zara said.

“Yeah.”

Kiera had expected them to hear. Victoria’s whisper had been anything but quiet.

Sienna suddenly burst into laughter, and Zara joined her.

Kiera couldn't understand what was so funny, so her expression remained neutral.

Lyra, who was sitting opposite them, seemed equally unimpressed, which at least prevented the situation from becoming completely awkward.

When the laughter subsided, Sienna turned to Kiera.

“What course do you study? I study Mass Communication alongside Zara, while Lyra studies Sports Science.”

“Computer Science,” Kiera replied simply.

“Should we play a game to get familiar with one another?” Zara suggested. “We each say one weird truth about ourselves.”

Sienna nodded in agreement.

Lyra shrugged.

Then they all looked at Kiera.

She didn't want to play the game, but she didn't want to make things awkward either.

So she nodded.

“I'll go first,” Zara said.

She leaned back in her chair.

“I've been in love with Liam since I was in third grade.”

Kiera stared at her.

So there is actually someone in this world who is in love with Liam.

No wonder she had approached them earlier.

Kiera couldn't help shaking her head in pity.

“That isn't a secret to anyone,” Sienna said casually.

“It's still the truth,” Zara replied with a shrug.

Still weird, Kiera thought.

“I'll go next,” Sienna volunteered.

She paused dramatically.

“Silas doesn't satisfy me sexually. His dick is only five inches”

“Sienna!” Zara exclaimed.

“Weird truth. Remember?” Sienna quickly defended herself.

“Fine.” Zara surrendered before turning toward Lyra. “Your turn.”

“I started running because of a past trauma,” Lyra said solemnly.

It was the first time she had spoken since Kiera sat down.

“Boring,” Zara said dismissively.

“It's not,” Sienna defended. “And you're doing well in running.”

Lyra simply shrugged.

“She runs?” Kiera looked over at Lyra. “You're lucky.”

At least she had the chance to run.

Kiera remembered running with her father.

Those moments.

She quickly pushed the memory away.

“Your turn,” Sienna said.

Kiera looked at the three girls.

“I don't cry.”

“What?” Sienna and Zara gasped simultaneously.

“If your mother, Victoria, died, you wouldn't cry?” Lyra asked.

“Yes,” Kiera replied calmly.

The three girls stared at her as if she were an alien. Kiera expected that reaction, everyone reacted the same way anytime she says that.

But then it was the truth because she had long realized it that even if she floods the world with her tears, nothing will change.

---

Elsewhere in the hall

Liam stood with a glass of champagne in his hand, casually sipping from it.

Across from him sat his two friends, Julian and Caleb.

“You didn't even invite us to your sister's recognition party,” Caleb complained. “We wouldn't be here if Victoria hadn't invited us.”

“That orphan has no relation to me,” Liam said coldly.

He would never consider himself related to any woman except Scarlett.

Yet, despite himself, his mind returned to Kiera.

Something about her was strange.

He had never held a woman that long before. He didn't even like being close to them.

“Your parents adopted her. Automatically, she's your sis—”

Caleb stopped when Liam shot him a cold glare.

Caleb immediately mimed zipping his lips.

“Well, I heard something about the girl,” Julian said with a smile.

“What is it?” Caleb asked, his gossip mode immediately activated.

“She said she doesn't cry.”

“Can't cry?” Caleb asked.

“She said she doesn't cry,” Julian repeated.

“Is that even possible?”

“She said that even if Victoria died, she wouldn't cry,” Julian insisted.

Caleb turned toward Liam.

“Is it true?”

“Don't involve me in her business,” Liam muttered, turning away as he took another calm sip of his champagne.

Caleb glanced at Julian.

Julian simply shrugged.

The table fell silent for a while.

Liam's gaze wandered across the room.

Kiera was sitting with the three girls.

She seemed to fit in perfectly.

More than she should.

His palm tightened around his glass and his gaze hardened.

He wished he could kick her out of the party.

Or, better yet, out of his life.

And send her back to the orphanage where she came from.

“Liam.”

Caleb's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

Liam turned back.

“What?”

“Want to make a deal?”

Liam frowned.

“You make Kiera cry, and—”

“I told you not to involve me in her business.”

“Listen to what you get in return before you reject it.” Caleb leaned closer. “I'll tell you who owns Starry.”

Liam's expression changed.

“How do you expect me to believe you?”

Caleb pulled out his phone and showed him a picture.

It was of a little boy standing in a garden.

Liam recognized the boy as Caleb.

And he recognized the garden.

It belonged to Starry.

The house Scarlett had always wanted—the one whose owner had repeatedly refused to sell.

“So?” Caleb asked, watching him anxiously.

Liam stared at the picture for a moment.

Then his gaze shifted toward Kiera, taking up a space that she doesn't belong while still being proud of it.

“I'll make her cry,” he said calmly.

Not even the slightest guilt cross his mind. Because to him , she deserved it.