LOGINRyker’s POV
Chris walked closer to me slowly like he was scared one wrong movement would make me completely break apart.
“Denounced?” he repeated carefully. “What do you mean denounced?”
I looked at him, my throat tightening immediately.
“It’s gone,” I whispered shakily. “It’s over.”
The words sou
Catherine’s POVI grabbed an empty plate for Leo and started filling it with food from the table carefully.A few slices of toasted bread.Fruit by the side.Everything arranged perfectly.Everything looking normal.My fingers tightened slightly around the plate as I reached for the fork beside the counter, making sure my back stayed turned toward him.Then quickly, almost expertly, I slipped the tiny packet of aphrodisiac open.The powder inside looked harmless.A pale crushed color that disappeared immediately once it touched warm food.I sprinkled some across the toast.Then I grabbed his orange juice and poured a little more into it before stirring carefully with the spoon, I needed him to have enough of it, both to disorient him and arouse him.My heartbeat hammered wildly agains
Ryker’s POVChris walked closer to me slowly like he was scared one wrong movement would make me completely break apart.“Denounced?” he repeated carefully. “What do you mean denounced?”I looked at him, my throat tightening immediately.“It’s gone,” I whispered shakily. “It’s over.”The words sounded unreal even to me.Like somebody else was saying them.“If anything, I’m supposed to get kicked out of this school.” My chest tightened painfully at my sad reality.“None of this makes any sense.”Oliver’s brows pulled together immediately.“Did they state why?”I wiped roughly at my face, but the tears just kept coming anyway.&ldquo
Ryker’s POVI couldn’t believe I was going to miss my finals after everything I did to make sure I didn’t.An idea suddenly popped into my head so fast it almost gave me whiplash.“Can I appeal it?” I asked immediately, desperation practically clawing out of my throat.The admissions officer sighed.It wasn’t annoyed exactly. It sounded more tired than anything else.“You can,” he replied, adjusting himself in his chair, “but appeal cases take time, Mr. Williams. A few weeks minimum. Sometimes months.”My stomach dropped harder.“Months?”He nodded once.“The board doesn’t prioritize scholarship appeals unless there’s some major legal issue attached to it. By the time they even review you
Leo’s POV“It’s yours?” Her voice came out confused, suspicion carefully tucked underneath the softness of her tone, Under different circumstances even I wouldn't believe it was mine.“Yes, it is.”I nodded once again, calm and detached, even though I could already see the questions beginning to form behind her eyes.“You’ve been here recently?”Another nod.That should have been enough, but Catherine had never really been the kind of person to leave things alone once curiosity got its claws into her.“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” she asked. “We could’ve come together.”“It was before we got engaged, so…” I answered quickly hoping to throw her of my trail.
Ryker’s POVI stood perfectly still.Like if I moved even an inch, the words that had just come out of his mouth would settle into reality permanently.“Pardon me, sir,” I said slowly, my voice shaky. “I don’t think I got that.”The man sitting behind the desk adjusted his glasses and looked down at the papers again like he was discussing the weather.“Denounced, Mr. Williams. Your scholarship has been denounced.”My stomach dropped so violently it felt physical.“But how?” I asked immediately. “Why? None of this makes sense.”My pulse pounded loudly in my ears.The office suddenly felt too hot.Too cramped.Too small for the amount of panic crawling through my body.The admissions officer si
Leo’s POVThe drive to my parents’ beach condo was painfully quiet.Not the peaceful kind of quiet either. Not the kind .This silence was sharp and forced. Catherine kept glancing at me every few minutes, probably waiting for me to magically stop being angry.It wasn’t happening.Outside the tinted windows, the roads stretched endlessly ahead, lined with tall palms and expensive vacation homes that all looked too polished to actually be lived in. The closer we got to the coast, the saltier the air became.I rested my elbow against the car door, fingers brushing absently against my jaw while my cane leaned beside me.My leg hurt.Everything hurt.And somehow, being trapped in this car with Catherine made it worse.“You’re still mad at me,” she finally muttered.I didn’t even look at her.“What gave it away?”She sighed dramatically. “Leo.”I stayed quiet.The truth was simple. I wasn’t just angry because she called my father.I was angry because it worked.That was the part clawing at
Ryker’s POVI moved quickly, pulling my clothes back on with shaking hands while my mind tried to catch up with everything that had just happened.My shirt went crooked the first time and I had to yank it straight, my fingers fumbling wi
Ryker’s POVAt first, I thought we were actually going into the library, but he veered off before we reached the entrance, heading toward a smaller building tucked behind it.It looked almost abandoned.Like a storage space no one really paid
Ryker’s POVWhy would Leo suddenly want to see me behind the library?It had been almost a week since we last spoke. Not even a text. Not even a “come here” or “don’t be seen.” Nothing.And I knew i
Ryker’s POVThese past few days have been a complete rollercoaster.Finals were in less than two weeks, and every professor suddenly decided that meant we shouldn’t have a single second of free time.Assignments.Su







