Mag-log inAdrian Blackwood POV My father had a talent for ruining perfectly good evenings. He had ruined birthdays, family dinners and one memorable Christmas by turning a conversation about presents into a lecture about loyalty. Tonight, however, he had outdone himself. “What were you thinking?” he demanded as soon as we entered his study. I closed the door behind me. “I invited a girl to a charity gala. I wasn’t aware that it required your permission.” “Don’t be clever with me.” “Then stop asking foolish questions.” His expression darkened. I knew I was pushing him, but I was tired of being treated like a child whenever something didn’t go according to his plans. “That girl is Hayes,” he said. “I know her surname.” “You don’t know what it means.” “Then explain it.” He walked towards his desk and poured himself a drink. For a few moments, he said nothing. Then he spoke. “Years ago, the Blackwood family and the Hayes family had a business arrangement. It was supposed to benefi
Serena Hayes For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. The woman standing before me looked as though she had just witnessed something impossible. Her fingers trembled slightly as she stared at my face, and I couldn’t understand why. My mother had secrets. That much I knew. But why would a complete stranger at a charity gala know anything about them? “Excuse me,” I said carefully. “Do we know each other?” The woman swallowed. “No, darling. Not personally.” “Then how do you know my mother?” Her gaze shifted towards Adrian. He stood beside me, his expression unreadable, but I noticed the way his shoulders had stiffened. “Mrs. Ashford,” he said, his voice dangerously calm, “perhaps you should explain yourself.” The woman flinched at his tone. “I didn’t mean to upset anyone.” “Then answer her question.” I glanced at Adrian. I had never heard him speak like that to an older woman. He wasn’t shouting, but there was something in his voice that made it clear he wasn’t going to let
Serena Hayes I had a problem. Actually, I had several. My mother was in one of her moods, my school work was piling up, and I had somehow become friends with a girl who believed shopping was a legitimate solution to every problem in existence. But my biggest problem had a name. Adrian Blackwood. Not because he had done anything wrong. Quite the opposite. He had given me a first-aid kit without demanding an explanation, helped me with mathematics and then acted as though none of it had happened. It was confusing. People usually wanted something in return when they were kind to me. A favour. A secret. An apology for something I hadn’t done. Adrian had simply left the kit in my desk. And that made me suspicious. Very suspicious. “You’re staring at him again.” I nearly dropped my juice. Isabella sat opposite me in the cafeteria, looking far too pleased with herself. “I am not.” “You’ve been looking in his direction for the last five minutes.” “M
Adrian's POV I noticed the bruises on Thursday. It wasn’t intentional. Serena had arrived late to class, carrying too many books and apologising to absolutely nobody. She dropped into her seat beside Luca, who immediately began complaining about the sandwich she had brought for lunch. Apparently, he considered a cheese sandwich an insult to his existence. I would have ignored them if Serena hadn’t reached across the desk for a pen. Her sleeve slipped down. For a moment, I saw the dark marks on her wrist. Then she pulled the fabric back into place. Quickly. Too quickly. I looked away before she could notice me watching. But I had already seen enough. The bruises weren’t the kind someone got from accidentally bumping into a door. I had grown up around people who knew how to hurt others and disguise the evidence. I knew what I was looking at. And I knew better than to ask questions in a crowded classroom. Still, something unpleasant settled in my chest.
Serena Hayes If there was one thing I had learnt about Adrian Blackwood in the two days since I met him, it was that the boy had absolutely no idea how to behave like a normal human being. He barely smiled. He rarely spoke unless he had something important to say, and he looked at people as though he was deciding whether they were worth his time. Honestly, the man needed a hobby. Preferably one that involved smiling. I sat at my desk, staring at the mathematics questions in front of me. Numbers had never been my enemies, but today they seemed determined to ruin my life. I sighed dramatically and dropped my pencil. “Having a little problem, princess?” I looked up. Luca Moretti stood beside my desk, wearing the kind of grin that made me wonder how he had survived this long without someone throwing a chair at his head. “Do you ever mind your business?” I asked. “Occasionally. But your suffering is far more entertaining.” “Wonderful. I’m glad my pain brings joy to someone.” H
Serena’s POV I woke to the sound of someone knocking. For one terrified second, I thought I was back home. Then I remembered the black house, the silver key, and Adrian Blackwood. “Who is it?” “Breakfast,” a woman’s voice answered. I opened the door to find a middle-aged woman holding a tray. “Good morning, Miss Hayes. I’m Margaret. I manage the household.” “Good morning.” She smiled warmly and placed the tray on a small table. “Mr Blackwood asked me to make sure you had everything you needed.” I looked at the food. Toast, eggs, fruit, and a glass of orange juice. It was a simple breakfast, but something about seeing a full tray made my chest tighten. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had prepared a meal for me without expecting something in return. “Thank you,” I whispered. Margaret gave me a sympathetic look. “You’re welcome, dear.” After she left, I ate slowly, then explored the room. A wardrobe held several dresses in different sizes. On the dressing tab







