d University, her heart pounding beneath the weight

alls whispering secrets of centuries past. Students in expensive jackets and designer backpack

ed at the gold crest embroidered on the sleeve of her borrowed jac

d charged with unspoken stories - stories

on, whispers

ichard Blackwood to

practically

has it the younge

the murmurs, but they

tall and impeccably dressed, with a confident smile that commanded attention; and Elias Blackw

emanded the room; Elias seemed to want noth

yes briefly met-Damien's sharp and as

hat stories th

nd avoiding unnecessary attention. But she couldn't escape the pull of the Blac

lf wandering the library's quiet

ow of a desk lamp illuminating his face as he trace

surprised bu

posed to be her

tly. "Neither are

ce she arrived, she fe

name?" he a

," she

tasting the word. "You're dif

ent is what I

, a faint smile

fragile connection was born-o

buildings sparkling like ambition, its walkways lined with ri

but her back was straight, her chin held high. She didn't need money to stand out. Her beauty did that effortlessly-long, graceful legs, flaw

Demian B

fake laughs, and fierce competition for his attention. The son of Richard Blackwood, heir to the empire, Demian carried his f

by, something shifted

they should, deeper than he meant to. He didn't know how she did it, but one l

lance his way. Th

p, and called out with that smug, lazy voic

ity Case!"

r selling bananas

into laughter. A few phones

stopped

r expression calm, un

id, voice like silk dipped in fire. "I'd clap,

pense. Demian's jaw clenched, thou

ent and slow, until there wa

ickered-first with pride, then with something deeper. Someth

something else he couldn't admit. "This isn't your level. You might i

thout blinking, her

e of this 'world' can't sto

hit

his eyes darkening. Then he scoffed and

ming, stre

ghtness in his chest every time she loo

ated

he told himself. Because hating her

ed her.

University, fall for a girl who wore cheap shoes and took notes on re

t want her. So

s. And yet... every time she held her ground, every time she fired back with that sharp ton

-the way they lingered, the flicker of

e didn

t

pride and power, she was wa

for he

't need

eded s

, it wouldn't be loud-