Professor Cedric Limmins stood at the front of the classroom, his presence commanding immediate attention.Tall and lean, he had the air of someone who belonged in a courtroom, not a classroom. His silver-rimmed glasses perched low on his nose, and his suit was immaculate—sharp enough to cut glass.He placed his leather briefcase down with a sharp snap, his eyes scanning the six students before him. His gaze lingered just a second longer on each of them, as if trying to figure them out in one swift glance.“Good morning,” he said, his voice smooth but edged with authority. “You six are the only students in this class. That means I expect your full attention. Ethics isn’t just about right and wrong. It’s about power. Control. Manipulation.”He grabbed a marker and wrote on the board: Power: To wield or to fear?“Thoughts?” he asked, turning back to face the class.Mika was the first to speak, tapping her pen with a sharp rhythm. “
The hallway stretched long and empty as they walked in perfect rhythm, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floors.Their destination?Class Six. It was at the far end of the building, tucked away like a secret. The moment they reached the door, Miriam’s nose scrunched in mild distaste.“Why does this feel like we’re about to enter a haunted crypt?” she muttered, a frown tugging at her lips.Mika smirked, her tone sharp. “Because we probably are. Have you seen this place?”Fiero, standing closest to the door, pushed it open without hesitation, his hand brushing against the cool metal handle.The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted.Dark wooden shelves lined the walls, each crammed with thick, ancient books, their worn spines hinting at knowledge long forgotten or deliberately concealed. The low hum of the dim lights flickered, casting long, eerie shadows that seeme
Fiero, now bored, sighed loudly, signaling to the others that it was time to move. He pushed off the lockers with an air of indifference, his eyes scanning the corridor, already half-checked out of the scene unfolding. Without a second glance, Fiero brushed past Adonis, his shoulder colliding solidly with the senior’s. The subtle gesture wasn’t accidental; it was a declaration. Fiero had made it clear: there was no need for formalities or acknowledgment, only his presence.Adonis—clearly offended—bristled, a muscle twitching in his jaw as he turned to watch Fiero walk away. But he was no fool. He was not going to let a junior walk by without a word, a mere first year at that. His pride wouldn't allow it.In a swift motion, Adonis reached out, his hand latching onto Fiero’s wrist in a sharp grip. He yanked, pulling him back with a force that suggested more than just a desire for attention—it was a challenge.The hallway went si
One would think the danger was over. One would assume that Maria and Luca Avancii could finally settle into a peaceful, happily-ever-after after everything they had endured. But fate had other plans. Fate was never that kind—not to them, and certainly not to their son. If only they knew. If only they knew that the moment they sent Fiero Avancii to Thornecrest Academy, they weren’t just sending him to a school. They were sending him straight into the fire. Because whatever wars they had fought in the past, whatever enemies they had defeated? None of it compared to what was coming. Thornecrest Academy was more than just a school—it was an empire, hidden away in plain sight. Tucked deep within rolling greenery, far from the noise of any city, it stood like a fortress, the embodiment of wealth, power, and untouchable prestige. It was a place where futures were forged,
The black car hummed quietly along the backroads of Hayport, sunlight beginning to slant through the windshield in golden streaks. Luca kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually against the gear shift. Fiero sat beside him in the passenger seat, legs swinging slightly, his boot heels bumping the glove box every few seconds. His hands were smudged with dust from the crates and ledgers he'd touched, and his hoodie still smelled faintly of sea air and old metal. He looked content. Quiet, thoughtful—but content. Luca watched him out of the corner of his eye. He saw the way Fiero traced patterns with his finger on the foggy window, how he stared out at the passing streets with a quiet kind of hunger. A hunger to understand. To belong. Luca knew that look too well. “You did good today,” he said casually. Fiero perked up. “Really?” Luca nodded. “You watched
Nine years ago, Mikael vanished. So did the H²O engine. Not a trace of either since. But Gina—Gina must have known something. That day, she had removed a core part of the engine.That core part was now buried in the place where Gina Frazer was supposed to lay.Supposed to.Nine years later, they still hadn't found the engine. Or Mikael.Luca was still looking, but not actively. The past had a way of staying silent until it wasn't, and for now, SpitFire Technologies moved forward as if nothing had ever happened. The company was bigger, stronger. Luca ruled it with the same ruthless precision as always.Maria was still here-still his partner in every way that mattered-but now, her kingdom was built from power suits and couture, not cold steel and code. As Chief Human Resources Officer of SpitFire, she held her own, but most of her focus had shifted to A√ancii, her fashion empire. It was an understanding between
Fiero Johan Avancii was three years old.His surgery had been a success, and although the doctors hadn’t managed to close the hole in his heart completely, his breathing had improved drastically. He no longer wheezed when he played, no longer tired out after just a few steps. He could laugh without coughing, run without collapsing—and that alone felt like a miracle.He was still pale, still smaller than other boys his age, but it only seemed to add to his impossible charm.Everyone in the estate adored him.The young master. La gioia della casa.With his dark curls always in a state of artful rebellion, his honey-brown eyes that gleamed with mischief, and that delicate, heartbreakingly beautiful face, he was a sight to behold. He had inherited all of his father’s features but softened by something gentler, something Maria. His voice was sweet, his stubbornness legendary, and his sense of timing… impeccable.Ou
Fiero Johan Avancii was fourteen months old.A perfect replica of his father. From the curve of his jaw to the way his dark curls stubbornly refused to be tamed. His eyes were the same shade of piercing brown, warm and honeyed in the light, but capable of an intensity that was almost unsettling for a child so young. Even his smile—when he offered it—was unmistakably Luca’s.It was like Maria had printed Luca in miniature. But there was another ghost in the room, one that lingered like a shadow behind Fiero's laughter and playful babble: Felix, Fiero’s twin brother, who had died the moment he was born. Felix was buried at the back of the main house, beneath a patch of roses Maria tended to in a quiet, private ritual.She visited him every day, even if it was only to change the flowers on his grave before they withered. Fiero often went with her, his tiny hands reaching out to touch the cold stone. He would stare at th
BREAKING NEWS: MARIA AND LUCA AVANCII WELCOME BABY BOYThe headlines were everywhere. Every major news station, every tabloid, every gossip site—each scrambling to be the first to report on the birth of the Avancii heir.“Power couple Luca and Maria Avancii have just welcomed a baby boy! Though the couple remains notoriously private, sources close to the family confirm that both mother and child are in stable condition.”Another segment followed, the newscaster flashing a bright smile as she read from the teleprompter.“Speculation is already circulating about the child’s name, though the Avanciis have yet to make an official statement. However, the real buzz isn’t just about the birth but about what’s happening behind the scenes.”Then came the gossip.“Sources say Luca Avancii has been spending more time with his secretary and rumored mistress, Ella Hudgens. A viral video surfaced showing Ella whispering something to Luca at a