Chapter 3

Scarlett's POV

The man’s gaze pierced through me like sunlight breaking through a foggy morning.

I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. It was like I had been pulled into a spell I didn’t know existed.

His ocean-blue eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that felt almost unreal. Everything around me—students, chatter, the faint smell of chalk—faded away.

It was just him and me in that moment, as if the universe had stopped spinning to let him look right into my soul.

I didn’t know how long I stared. A second? A minute? It felt like forever.

Then, suddenly, the sharp sound of the bell broke the silence in my head, and just like that, he was gone. He turned the corner and disappeared down the hallway as if he hadn’t just turned my world upside down.

I gasped, sucking in air like I had been underwater. My chest felt tight, my heart racing as though it was trying to escape.

“What was that?” I muttered under my breath, clutching the edge of my desk. My hands were trembling.

Before I could think too much about it, Hannah burst into the room, her ponytail bouncing as she hurried to her seat. “Made it!” she whispered, sliding into the chair next to mine just as the bell stopped ringing. She shot me a grin, clearly pleased with herself. Then her smile faltered as she noticed my face. “Scarlett? What’s wrong? You really do look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I shook my head, still trying to gather my thoughts. “Hannah,” I said, my voice shaky. “Who was that guy? The one in the hallway just now?”

She blinked, her eyes widening with curiosity. “What guy?”

I leaned in closer, whispering. “Tall, dark hair, blue eyes. He walked by right before the bell. Everyone was staring at him.”

Recognition flickered in her eyes, and she gasped dramatically. “Oh my God, him! You mean the director guy? I really can’t believe you don’t know who he is!” She practically bounced in her seat, leaning towards me like she was about to spill the world’s juiciest secret.

“Who is he?” I asked, my voice barely audible. My heart was still pounding, and I needed answers.

She glanced around the room, making sure no one was listening. Then she leaned in even closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “His name is Liam DeLuca. He’s one of the school’s directors…youngest in history, actually. He’s only 28, but he’s already insanely rich. Like, donated-a-billion-dollars-to-the-school rich.”

“A billion?” I echoed, my eyebrows shooting up. “That’s… ridiculous.”

“I know, right?” she said, her eyes wide with awe. “But that’s not even the craziest part.”

I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to know more. But curiosity got the better of me. “What do you mean?”

Hannah lowered her voice even further, practically mouthing the words. “They say he’s got another identity. He’s not just a director. He’s supposedly the godfather of La Lupa Nera. You know, Europe’s biggest mafia.”

I stared at her, my mind reeling. “The La Lupa Nera? You’re joking.”

“I wish I were,” she said, sitting back and crossing her arms. “I mean, it’s just a rumor, but it makes sense, doesn’t it? How else would someone his age have that much money and power? It’s kind of...exciting, don’t you think?” She grinned, clearly enjoying the drama.

Exciting wasn’t the word I would use. Terrifying? Maybe.

“That’s insane,” I said, shaking my head. “Why would someone like that be involved with our school?”

She shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he’s hiding in plain sight. Or maybe he’s trying to launder his money through donations. Either way, he’s ridiculously hot, so does it even matter?”

I shot her a look. “It matters if he’s a literal criminal, Hannah.”

“Alleged criminal,” she corrected with a wink. “And come on, Scarlett, don’t pretend you didn’t notice how good-looking he is. I saw the way you were staring.”

“I wasn’t staring,” I lied, feeling my cheeks heat up.

“You so were,” she teased, nudging me with her elbow. “Don’t worry, I get it. If a guy like that looked at me, I would probably faint on the spot.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to focus on anything but the memory of his gaze. “Can we just drop it?”

“Fine, fine,” she said, raising her hands in surrender. But the smirk on her face told me she wasn’t done teasing me.

The rest of the class was a blur. I couldn’t concentrate on anything the professor said. My notebook stayed blank, my pen resting uselessly in my hand.

All I could think about was Liam DeLuca. His eyes, his presence, the weight of the rumors surrounding him.

My mind kept replaying the moment our eyes met, trying to make sense of the strange pull I had felt.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, I let out a long sigh and slumped over my desk. My head felt heavy, and my body was drained, as if I had run a marathon without moving an inch.

“Scarlett, you okay?” Hannah asked, her tone shifting to genuine concern.

“Yeah,” I said weakly. “Just...tired.”

She frowned, clearly unconvinced. “You’ve been acting weird all day. Come on, let’s do something fun. You need to loosen up.”

I groaned, already dreading whatever she had in mind. “Hannah, please no. I just want to go back to the dorm and sleep.”

“Nope,” she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet. “We’re going out. There’s a new bar downtown, and I hear it’s amazing. Drinks, music, hot guys…it’s exactly what you need.”

“Hannah, seriously…”

“Seriously nothing,” she said, cutting me off. “You’re coming, and that’s final.”

I tried to protest, but she was already dragging me towards the door. “This is a terrible idea,” I muttered, but she just laughed.

“It’s going to be fun, trust me,” she said, her grip on my arm firm. “You’ll thank me later.”

As we stepped out into the hallway, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Something I wasn’t ready for.

My thoughts drifted back to Liam DeLuca, his eyes, his presence, the mystery surrounding him.

“Really,” I muttered under my breath as Hannah pulled me along. “Are we really doing this?”