جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 50

"...and so, as we look toward the next generation of leadership," Richard's voice continued across the ballroom speakers, "we are proud to announce the official corporate partnership and future family union between the Wilson family and the Cole family!"The applause started near the front tables, a polite, expensive sound that spread across the room like wildfire. Rich donors in tuxedoes clapped their hands, and university board members nodded in complete agreement.Right below the main stage, a sharp, clear snapping sound cut through the noise of the applause.The crystal champagne glass in Leo’s right hand completely shattered into pieces under his bare grip.Thin shards of glass fell onto the polished white floor, followed immediately by bright crimson drops of blood dripping from his palm onto the clean white tiles. But Leo didn't look down at his bleeding hand. He didn't even flinch at the pain. His dark eyes remained glued straight to me, burning across the room with a fierce,

Leo’s hand closed around my wrist before I could even turn my head.One second I was standing near the outdoor entrance of the ballroom, the next he was pulling me hard into the narrow space behind the thick velvet curtains. The fabric swallowed us both. Darkness pressed in. The noise of the party dropped to a muffled blur.My back hit the wall. His body followed, chest to chest, trapping me there. I could feel the quick rise and fall of his breathing against mine.“Quiet,” he whispered right against my ear. His voice was low and tight. “Don’t make a sound.”I opened my mouth to ask what was happening, but his hand came up and covered it. The warmth of his palm sealed my lips. His other hand slid down the soft fabric of my dress and gripped my lower hip, steadying me, pulling me closer so I wouldn’t lose my balance in the tight space.My eyes stayed wide open even though there was almost no light. I could feel every beat of his heart against my ribs. It was fast. Hard. Matching the w

Monday morning at eight in the morning came far too quickly.The entire campus was buzzing like a disturbed beehive. Everywhere you walked—along the stone walkways, inside the dining halls, near the dorm entrances—students were whispering about Saturday night's Greek Gala. The big announcement between the Wilson family and the Cole family was the only topic anyone cared to discuss. People held their phones out in small groups, showing each other blurbs and photos from the college blog, analyzing every expression, every photo, and every bit of gossip that had leaked from the ballroom.I sat at a quiet corner wood table on the second floor of the main library, trying my best to tune out the noise.My eyes felt heavy and tired, burning slightly as I stared down at the black-and-white printouts of my child psychology research papers. My mind kept pulling back to Saturday night on the cold terrace—to the sound of Maria’s heels on the stone path, to the dark velvet curtain, and to the absol

The sound of his shoes against the wooden floor came to a complete stop right beside my corner table.Leo didn't ask if the chair was free. He didn't sit down. He stood directly over my desk, bringing a sudden cloud of cold morning air and his familiar scent of woodsmoke into my small, quiet corner.Liya froze beside me, her eyes darting nervously between her brother and me. She carefully pulled her binder a few inches back, keeping her head down like she wanted to disappear into the carpet.Leo didn't look at Liya. He didn't look at the other students sitting two aisles over. His eyes stayed fixed entirely on me, holding a quiet, intense burn that felt like it could scorch through paper.Without saying a word initially, he reached down and set a thick, dark law textbook down onto the polished surface of my wooden table with a low, solid sound."Page 114," Leo said.His voice came out flat, crisp, and strictly professional, calculated perfectly for anyone who might be listening nearby

Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock arrived with a dark sky and a cold drizzle tapping against the high glass windows of the academic building.The main wood-paneled lecture hall for Advanced Psychology was already packed with over one hundred students. The low hum of voices filled the room as people talked about upcoming midterms, shared notes, and argued over weekend sports scores.I stepped through the heavy rear double doors at the top of the hall, holding my notebook tightly against my chest. My mind was still tired from everything that had happened over the last two days—the library standoff, Leo’s threat in the margin, and the painful guilt of keeping secrets from Liya.I stood at the top of the steps for a second, scanning the busy room for an open seat near the back wall where I could just take notes and stay invisible.Down in the middle row, a hand waved high in the air."Ivy! Over here!" Mason called out, his cheerful voice cutting cleanly through the noise of the crowded roo