(Sierra's POV)
I woke up with a heaviness in my chest. Maybe because of what happened yesterday—Stefano trying so awkwardly, almost painfully, to get my attention. Part of me wanted to laugh at how weird he acted. Part of me wanted to cry because it meant something he couldn't say. But mostly… I was confused. I slipped on my cardigan and left my room quietly. The hallway felt cold, silent. I kept replaying his voice from yesterday,
"Sierra… look at me. Talk to me." I didn't want to think about how it had made my heart ache. At college, Angel linked our arms immediately. "You okay? You're spacing out."
"I'm fine," I lied.
She squinted. "You never lie well." I almost replied, but then— A loud click of heels echoed from behind, my chest tightened.
Luciana.
She walked with her three shadows—Sasa, Rosa, Kesi—eyes sharp, smile dangerous. Today she wasn't just smirking. She was hunting. Luciana stopped in front of me, flipping her glossy dark hair. Angel tensed beside me. "Leave us alone." But Luciana ignored her. Her eyes moved only to me.
"Tell me, Sierra," she whispered sweetly, "does it hurt? Seeing Stefano so obsessed with you one day and then… wildly in love with me in your head the next?"
I froze. "You're pathetic," she added. "He only looks at you to laugh." I swallowed, trying not to break. Then she leaned even closer. What was she planning now? Before I could speak, she stepped back and strutted away laughing. Angel grabbed my hand. "Sierra… that smile of hers—something's wrong." I nodded, my stomach twisting. What is she planning now?
(Luca's POV)
I saw her before she saw me. She stood near the architecture building with Angel, her shoulders folded inward, eyes unfocused. She looked… shaken. And when I spotted Luciana's retreating silhouette, something inside me snapped. I walked straight to Sierra. She didn't look at me.
"Sierra." My voice was lower than intended nothing. She just kept staring ahead, breathing shallow.
"Kitten—" She flinched, god, that hurt. "What did she say?" I asked sharply.
"Nothing," she whispered. Lie, and a bad one. I lifted her chin gently, forcing her to meet my eyes. "I'm not leaving until you tell me." Her lips parted. She wanted to say something—anything—but she held it in. Before she could answer— Marko suddenly ran up to us, panting. My stomach dropped, and Sierra's face turned white. Luciana, It had to be Luciana. I grabbed Sierra's wrist—not rough, not gentle—just firm enough to tell her she wasn't going alone.
"We're going," I said, she didn't resist. But her silence cut deeper than any scream.
(Sierra's POV)
We rushed into the old studio hall—dim lights, dust everywhere, old canvases lined against the wall. A projector turned on, my heartbeat stopped. Photos, dozens of them, photos of me, me sitting alone, me walking with Tommy, me crying yesterday, near the staircase.
Angel gasped, Marko swore, Even Stefano froze. Then a voice in the corner shouted: Luciana stepped out, slow clapping.
"You wanted attention, didn't you?" Her tone was playful… and terrifying.
"Well. now the whole college will see how desperate you are." I felt ill. "You took pictures of me?" I whispered.
"Sweetheart," she laughed, "I've taken much worse of other girls. You're not special." Stefano's voice was a growl. "Turn it off."
"No." She smirked.
"She needs to see how pathetic she looks." Luciana cocked her head.
"Oh, and Stefano? You should thank me. I'm doing you a favor. Look at her—weak, ordinary, forgettable. You deserve someone like me—"
"Shut up." Stefano's voice was lethal.
"Oh?" Luciana purred. "Did I touch a nerve?" I swallowed the lump in my throat, weak, ordinary, forgettable. Under normal circumstances, maybe those words wouldn't touch me so deeply. But now, with my thoughts tangled about Stefano like this, it hurt.
"I said turn it off!!!"
The shout echoed through the hall. Luciana finally pressed a button, the projector clicking off. That broke me even more. She stepped back, knife to my ribs. I closed my eyes and curbed the tempest brewing within me. She said nothing, too close. Her back hit the wall.
"You don't walk away from me… not because of her. Not because of anyone."
"I don't believe you," she whispered.
"And I don't know if you ever cared." The words stabbed. I leaned even closer, voice low, strained—
(Sierra's POV)
His chest rises fast. His hand slid to the wall beside my face, his fingers brushing my hair. He let his breath out shakily. I swallowed hard. "Stefano… stop…"
"I can't," he muttered. But then— BANG! I jerked back from Stefano like I'd touched fire.
(Marko & Ethan POV)
Unhinged, desperate. "That wasn't planned," Ethan whispered, his voice shaking. "That wasn't part of any plan." "Stefano…" Marko swallowed hard, panic rising. "He's falling for her." Ethan nodded slowly. "And if he falls… the truth of our original plan… it will destroy Sierra." They both looked toward the hallway down which Sierra ran. Marko whispered, voice shaking— "We can't let her get hurt again. Not by anyone in this damn college—not even Stefano."
(To be continued.....)