Sierra didn't remember walking back to her apartment.
Her body moved on instinct—unlock door, drop her bag, turn on the lights—but her mind was still frozen in the school hallway, replaying Leon's expression over and over again.
He hadn't been angry.He hadn't even looked disappointed.
He had looked hurt.
And somehow, that was worse.
The door clicked shut behind her. Only then did Sierra realize her hands were trembling.
She sank onto the sofa and buried her face in her palms.
"Why… why does it feel like everything is falling apart again…?"
It wasn't supposed to be like this.She had planned everything—stay low-profile, avoid trouble, survive school, rebuild her name little by little.
She wasn't supposed to care this much about Leon Lin.
Yet here she was, shaken just because he had seen a side of her she never intended to show.
A message buzzed on her phone.
It was Jenna.
Jenna:Are you home? Don't overthink. Call me if you need to.
Sierra exhaled. Jenna always sensed her state too accurately.
Before she could reply, another name popped up.
Leon Lin:We need to talk.
Her heart stopped.
Sierra stared at the message so long the screen dimmed.
Talk?About what?About how she pushed him away? About how she lied? About how he saw her break down in the hallway?
Her chest tightened.
Sierra:Not tonight. Please.
A full minute passed.
Leon:Okay. But don't run from me again.
Sierra's breath caught.He wasn't angry.He wasn't leaving.
For some reason, that scared her even more.
The next morning
Sierra kept her mask on—calm, distant, perfectly composed.
But the moment she stepped into school, she sensed something was wrong.
Whispers.
Stares.
Phone screens turning toward her.
Jenna rushed over. "Sierra, don't freak out, but—"
Too late.
Someone shoved a phone in front of her.
A forum post.
A picture.
Her, crying in the hallway—face pale, eyes red, shoulders shaking.
Taken from behind a locker corner.
Caption:"Villainess finally breaks? Guess guilt hits hard."
Sierra's stomach dropped.
Someone had watched her.Someone had taken advantage of her weakest moment.And now the entire school was passing it around.
For a second, the hallway blurred.
Jenna cursed. "Whoever did this—I'm going to—"
"No." Sierra's voice was almost calm. Too calm."If I react, it's exactly what they want."
Jenna pressed her lips together, furious but helpless.
Students continued whispering.
"Is she acting again?""Finally showing her true face?""Maybe the rumors were right."
Sierra forced her feet to move.
One step.Then another.
She would not break again.Not here.Not in front of them.
But halfway down the corridor—
"Sierra."
Leon's voice.
Sierra froze.
He approached her slowly, carefully, as if afraid she might vanish.
He held his phone.He had seen the post too.
"Sierra… who took this?"
"I don't know," she whispered.
Leon watched her—really watched her. The mask, the forced posture, the fragile tension under her voice.
"Sierra," he said quietly, "you don't have to pretend with me."
Her chest tightened painfully.
"I— I wasn't pretending—"
"Yes, you are." He stepped closer, lowering his voice."I saw you yesterday. And I'll say it again—don't run."
Sierra looked away."Leon… people are already misunderstanding everything about me. If I let you get dragged into—"
"I don't care what they think."
Her breath stopped.
Leon's tone was steady, unshaken.
"I care what you think."
Her mask—so carefully built, so desperately held together—finally cracked.
"Sierra," Leon said gently, "tell me who's targeting you. I'll help."
But before she could answer—
A shrill voice cut through the hallway.
"Oh wow. How dramatic."
Vivian Shen stepped forward, arms crossed, eyes sharp with amusement.
"Crying in hallways. Whispering with Leon. Playing the victim again?" She smirked."Careful, Sierra. You're starting to look like the girl from the rumors."
Jenna bristled. "Vivian, shut—"
But Sierra lifted a hand.
No tears.
No panic.
Only cold, cutting clarity.
"Vivian," Sierra said softly, "interesting timing."
Vivian blinked. "What?"
"You always seem to appear right after the rumors spread."Sierra tilted her head slightly."Almost like you know before everyone else."
A flicker—small, but there—crossed Vivian's face.
Leon noticed it too.
And in that moment, Sierra knew:
Someone was pulling the strings.
And Vivian might not be working alone.