All Chapters of University Series 1: Tangled Ties: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

SUE’S POVI wasn’t supposed to be here.I don’t even know how long I’ve been sitting here—on this cold, dusty locker room floor, knees pulled to my chest, Michelle’s diary open on my lap like some cursed book I was never meant to touch.That was the first thought that crossed my mind as I stared at the soft pink journal half-hidden under Michelle’s pillow.Pink. With little gold flowers.So harmless. So girly.So fake—exactly like the owner.I didn’t mean to look for it.I just… saw the corner sticking out when Michelle rushed to the bathroom.Curiosity felt like a hand around my wrist, tugging. And maybe—maybe the jealousy I’ve been swallowing for weeks loosened my grip on morality.Before I knew it, the journal was in my hands.Heavy.Warm from her pillow.Full of secrets that pulsed like a heartbeat.The pages smelled like perfume and lies.I flipped to the middle.Her handwriting was delicate, almost pretty, but sharp enough to cut skin.And God… it cut.DIARY ENTRY — M.Sy“Edward

Two weeks had slipped by faster than I realized, each day blending into the next. Classes, deadlines, critiques—I was buried under a mountain of sketches, color swatches, and half-finished canvases. My studio space had become my sanctuary and my battlefield at the same time: the smell of acrylics thick in the air, brushes scattered like soldiers abandoned after a storm. I was hunched over my canvas, lost in layers of ochre and midnight blue, when I heard the familiar click of heels on the polished floor.“Coffee?” Sue’s voice broke through my concentration. She was holding a warm cup, pink polish catching the light, and that effortless kikay charm she always carried. The ribbons on her ponytail swayed as she stepped closer, her bright cardigan making her look like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine spread for college girls.I blinked, not expecting company, and smiled faintly. “Thanks,” I murmured, accepting the cup. The warmth seeped into my hands and gave me a small, gro

“Faye, come down here, quick! You turtle! You’re going to be late!” Cole’s voice echoed through the hall, sharp, teasing, but tinged with real urgency.I yanked the covers tighter around my shoulders and muttered, “Shut up!” under my breath.But there was no ignoring him. The sound of his footsteps—fast, deliberate—coming closer had me groaning as I finally swung my legs off the bed. My hair was a mess, my pajamas hanging wrong, but I didn’t have the luxury to care. The event, my canvas, the critique—it was all circling in my head like some impossible whirlwind.Cole didn’t wait for me to fix myself. He practically scooped me off the stairs, half-laughing, half-groaning. “Move it, turtle. We’ve got no time for dawdling.”I huffed, crossing my arms, but didn’t argue. He had that way of dragging me through chaos and somehow making it feel like a lifeline.Downstairs, the smell of breakfast hit me—warm, familiar, almost comforting. Emily had prepared something simple but thoughtful. Cole

The morning air was crisp, carrying just a hint of fall, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the world didn’t feel like it was pressing down on me. I met Cole outside our usual coffee spot, and he was leaning against his car like he owned the world, hair slightly mussed from sleep, gym bag slung casually over one shoulder.“Finally,” he said, sliding into the bench across from me. “You actually made it on time today.”I rolled my eyes, though a grin tugged at my lips. “Don’t flatter yourself,” I muttered, pretending to sip my latte with nonchalance.“Uh-huh,” he said, smirking. “Says the girl who somehow always smiles like she’s won a million-dollar prize the second she sees me.”I snorted, shaking my head. “I win at pretending you’re not distracting.”We walked through the streets afterward, aimlessly but perfectly, letting the city guide us. The sunlight caught in his hair every time he laughed at some ridiculous joke I made, and I caught myself staring a little too lo

Flashback — Five Years AgoThe house was silent, save for the faint tick of the grandfather clock in the corner. Emily stood by the kitchen counter, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug, though she didn’t drink. Across from her, Daniel lounged in the leather armchair, laughing at something on the evening news, completely unaware.It had taken months to get to this point. Months of careful planning, of observing, of waiting for the perfect moment to act. Emily’s face was calm, almost serene, but behind her eyes, a storm brewed. Every lie he had told, every betrayal, every vile act she had uncovered—the infidelity, the secret accounts, the dealings that chilled her to the bone—had led her here.She moved quietly, precise, almost invisible, carrying the small vial hidden in the folds of her coat. Daniel didn’t look up, too absorbed in his phone to notice the careful grace of her movements. Her hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the sheer weight of her resolve.“Dinner’s r