---
The classroom buzzed with noise during self-study. The teacher was absent, and everyone had slipped into their own worlds.
Maria quietly read her book, ignoring the chaos around her. Ivy, who had just arrived at school, leaned over and began chirping non-stop in Maria's ear, clearly trying to distract her. When her efforts failed and nearby students began to throw her annoyed glances, Ivy huffed and returned to her seat, where her gang quickly surrounded her with compliments and shallow chatter.
Some boys were playing games under their desks, others chatted lazily. A handful of diligent students discussed books and helped each other with questions. Kira was at school today but hadn't come to class.
Then the classroom door burst open, and their homeroom teacher stormed in. He slammed a hand on the desk, immediately silencing the class.
"So this is what self-study looks like now?" he snapped. "Really? Did you all forget the new school program?"
He scanned the room, glaring.
"Those who did well and those who didn't will be mixed. That means some of you are lucky to even be in this class. And some of you, if you're not careful, will be moved down. After the next test, it'll be decided which tier you belong to—Class 1 to 5, or Class 6 to 12. Your behavior and study performance will decide that. I'm not saying don't play or enjoy yourselves. But be smart."
The class stayed silent as he walked slowly to the front.
"Some of your friends will study all night, others will only need a few minutes with their books to understand everything. Some can read at home, some can't. So why not partner with someone who can study well? Learn with them now, and play together later. That way, neither of you fails."
A murmur of understanding spread through the room.
"Look at Class 1. There's a student from Class 12 studying there—and doing well. You don't have to change yourself, just improve. That's all I'm asking."
A round of applause broke out, and the teacher rolled his eyes. "Ah, you people love drama."
He paused. "Anyway… we have a new student joining our class. Let's welcome them into our family."
Immediately, the class perked up. Maria straightened in her seat, curious. Whispers spread like wildfire.
Then the door opened, and Chris walked in.
The room went dead silent.
"Sir, that's not a new student," one of the boys called out, earning a wave of laughter.
"I know that," the teacher groaned. "Don't disturb Chris."
"Why?" a girl teased. "Is he your favorite student now? You wound us."
"Of course he's my favorite!" the teacher declared dramatically. "Do you know how hard it was to drag him out of Class 1? Now he's stuck here forever."
"So you stole him?" the same boy teased. "No wonder Class 1's teacher keeps glaring at us and tailing him everywhere."
Laughter erupted again.
"Alright, alright. You guys are such bad influences," the teacher said with a laugh. "Anyway, we are actually getting a new student. Come in, please!"
All eyes turned to the door… but no one entered.
A minute passed. Then two.
"Sir, are you pranking us right now?" the boy from earlier scratched his head, annoyed. The class started murmuring and groaning. Ivy sighed dramatically and turned her face away, bored.
Then the door finally opened.
And she walked in.
The girl moved like royalty. She wore a black pleated skirt, crisp white thigh-high socks, and a tailored black-and-white vest over a sleek blouse. Her long red hair flowed in silky coils, framing her diamond-shaped face like molten fire. Her red lips were as bold as blood, and her phoenix-shaped eyes scanned the room with elegant boredom.
She carried a white designer bag slung over one shoulder and a phone in her other hand.
"Sorry," she said smoothly as she walked up to the teacher. "I had to take an important call."
Then she turned to face the stunned class.
"My name is Chole. Chole Hade. At your service."
Gasps and whispers erupted.
Then, without waiting for instruction, Chole walked down the aisle—straight toward Maria.
But she stopped momentarily at Chris's desk. Chris, who had his head down and headphones in, opened his eyes halfway to see her.
Their eyes locked.
For thirty long seconds, they stared at each other. No words. Just the silent intensity of two storms recognizing each other.
Then Chole looked away and continued walking.
Chris blinked once and turned back to his desk, resting his head again. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
Chole arrived at Maria's desk.
"I want to sit here," she said, tapping the desk with her fingers.
Maria's seatmate didn't hesitate. She scrambled up and moved, too intimidated to ask questions.
Chole calmly wiped the desk with a cloth from her bag, then sat down with practiced elegance.
Chris chuckled softly.
---
As the door closed behind the teacher, silence was replaced by whispers that spread like wildfire across the classroom.
"I think my ears are playing tricks on me…" a boy muttered from the back row, leaning toward his friend. "Did he say Hade… as in the Hade family?"
"No way. You're imagining things," the other boy replied, his brows furrowed. "I mean… she does look like she comes from money, but that Hade? The heir of Hade Corporation? And isn't her maternal side from the Voss family?"
A third boy joined in, awe creeping into his voice. "She already graduated from university, didn't she? At like… 14 or something. I heard she was some prodigy."
Gasps rippled like a wave through the room. All eyes turned toward Chole, who sat unbothered, her posture regal, scrolling casually on her phone as if the world didn't exist.
Chole unaffected by the whispers, opened her bag slowly, her fingers brushing against something cold—two necklaces. One was a red half-heart with a golden dragon curled around it like it guarded something sacred. The other, a black heart with a red dragon embedded into its surface like it had bled through battle.
Before Maria could even speak, Chole leaned over and plucked one out.
"Here," she said simply, handing her the red-gold one.
Maria blinked, confusion flashing across her face. Her hand hesitated in midair, unsure if this was a prank or a symbolic gesture. Chole didn't give her time to question. She simply leaned closer, resting her chin on her hand, studying the class with nonchalant grace before turning her phoenix eyes back to Maria as is she was done studying like she was scanning how the students react with themselves.
Her gaze had changed—gone was the aloof, untouchable aura. In its place was something lighter, something dangerously charming.
"Aren't we friends?" Chole asked, her voice soft, yet playful, pouting dramatically. "After all that life and death stuff… I thought we'd be closer by now."
Maria narrowed her eyes. Her lips twitched slightly. Was this girl playing games?
"I don't know you," Maria replied carefully.
Chole broke into a smile that practically glowed. "Oh, allow me to reintroduce myself then—Chole Hade, heir and current head of the Hade Empire. I love red. I love attention. And I'm addicted to excitement—it's very entertaining. As for you, no need to introduce yourself. I've done a full investigation. We're practically besties already."
Maria's eyes widened slightly. The deja vu slammed into her like a brick.
As Chole leaned forward and fastened the black necklace around Maria's neck with deft fingers, a strange feeling clawed its way into Maria's chest. There was something deeply familiar about this. Something… she couldn't quite name.
"Wait," Maria said, a spark of suspicion rising in her eyes. "Look at me again. Properly."
Chole raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. "What is it now?" she teased. "Are you falling in love with me?" She winked.
Maria didn't laugh. Her tone was low and serious. "No. I want you to look at me like I'm something intriguing… Like a toy you're dying to unravel. Then squint your eyes… like you're calculating how to use me for your next entertainment."
Chole tilted her head slightly and gave a quiet laugh. But then, as if responding to an unspoken signal, she narrowed her phoenix eyes and studied Maria—truly studied her. Her expression shifted ever so slightly. And in that moment…
Maria's blood ran cold.
That look—that exact look—she had seen it before. On someone else's face. The spark, the amusement, the slight tilt of superiority mixed with dangerous curiosity.
Chole leaned back, still smiling. "Do I resemble someone to you?" she asked, voice lilting, amused.
"You… resemble a lunatic I know," Maria said softly, brows knitted.
Chole opened her mouth in exaggerated shock before she let out a quiet chuckle. "Ouch. That hurt."
She ran her hand through her crimson waves and grinned. "Well, the necklace is bound to you now. You can't take it off. So that means we're officially best friends for life." She returned to her phone, acting like none of it mattered.
Maria studied her carefully, her instincts on fire. "Fine. As long as you take care of me—with money," she replied, half-teasing, half-probing.
And that's when she saw it.
The subtle flicker in Chole's eyes. A small wince—barely noticeable—but it was there. as is she is studying why she should spend money on her thinking about her worth first like Jake
Maria sat back, her brain working furiously. Why… why does she remind me so much of Jake?
The way she speaks ,the mischief, the phoenix eyes, the casual arrogance… even that damn flicker when money was mentioned.
Fuck. She behaves like him. That smugness. That ridiculous confidence. The lunatic behavior, already calming friendships
Maria's chest tightened.
Does she know Jake? Are they related?
Maria didn't say a word, but her gaze never left Chole.
And Chole?
She continued scrolling her phone with a knowing smile on her lips—as if she had already won something Maria didn't even realize she was playing for.
---
Ivy sat rigidly in her seat, her pen frozen mid-air. Her heart gave an uneasy flutter as she observed the girl everyone was whispering about. The name echoed in her mind like thunder cracking across a still sky.
Chole Hade.
Why… why is she in Class Three? Ivy's eyes narrowed, her fingers curling into a fist beneath her desk. Shouldn't she be in Class One with the elites? Or at least Class Two? Why here? Why now?
Her gaze darted toward Maria and Chole—sitting together, laughing like long-lost friends, sharing matching necklaces. The sight made something bitter rise in Ivy's throat.
Why is she sitting with Maria? Why are they acting like they've known each other for years? She bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to taste blood. And that necklace… matching halves… don't tell me they're— Ivy's breath caught in her throat. Best friend necklaces? Seriously?
No. No way.
There must be some mistake. Ivy tried to rationalize as she stood abruptly, her heels clicking on the tiled floor as she walked toward them with a forced smile.
"Hi!" Ivy chirped, tone sugary-sweet. "I'm Ivy! Welcome to our class."
Chole didn't even glance up.
She continued scrolling through her phone, her presence radiating an air of untouchable boredom. The girl beside her—another unfamiliar face—reached into Maria's open bag with zero shame and began munching on a snack like she owned it.
Ivy's smile stiffened.
What kind of people are these?
She inhaled deeply to smooth her voice. "You must be shy. It's okay. New places can feel a bit… stuffy at first."
Chole finally looked up, her phoenix eyes glinting lazily. "Stop barking in my ear. It's noisy."
Ivy flinched as if slapped.
"And who said I'm shy? Do I look shy to you?" Chole added flatly, raising a brow, then popped another snack into her mouth with infuriating calm.
Maria let out a long sigh and reached out to snatch the snacks back. "Stop stealing my food."
Chole looked at her with mock innocence—eyes wide like a child caught red-handed—then grinned and shamelessly stole them again, stuffing everything into her mouth like a victorious raccoon.
Ivy's eye twitched.
No. This isn't right. She's not acting like the Chole Hade I heard about… That woman is supposed to be cold. Elegant. Powerful. Not a snack-thieving weirdo who flirts with Maria and pouts like a child.
She must be a fake. A pathetic copycat trying to gain attention using the Hade name.
A nasty idea bloomed in Ivy's mind, and she went for it with a sharp smile.
"Maria," Ivy said loudly, voice brimming with artificial cheer. "You seem very close to her. Do you two know each other? Did you meet before? Why don't you tell us more about her, hmm?"
Instantly, whispers ignited like wildfire.
"She knows Chole Hade? No way," a girl murmured behind her hand.
"That can't be right… Maria's cool and all, but come on. We're talking about the Hade family," another scoffed.
"Even with Maria's decent background, they wouldn't even be able to see someone like Chole, let alone speak to her," a boy sneered.
"Yeah, and why would Chole attend this school? Didn't she already graduate? If she had to come here, she'd be in Class One, not this… mess."
"Exactly. That means she's a fake. A fraud. I even admired her bag… but it must be a knockoff."
"Oh please, did you see the signature on it? She even forged the signature of the top designer in the world. Disgusting."
Chole's fingers froze mid-scroll.
She turned her gaze to her designer bag slowly, deliberately, then let out a low chuckle. It wasn't loud. But it slithered through the air like venom.
She looked up, her phoenix eyes glinting with dangerous amusement.
"I thought this was a rich kids' school," she said softly, each word dipped in contempt. "But it seems… even rich kids don't have eyes. Poverty has truly limited your imagination."
Silence slammed over the classroom.
I