Two Weeks Later
Two weeks later, at T. West University, the most prestigious university in the entire country, a school where only the elite could afford to study, a place that drew a clear line between the rich and the poor, Alice sat inside a luxurious black Bugatti owned by her father.
The car was parked at the entrance of the school gates.
She remained seated for a long time, seemingly lost in thought, until her father's voice pulled her back to reality.
"Young lady, are you regretting coming back to school because Felix isn't around?"
His tone was serious, but Alice could detect a trace of amusement in his eyes.
"Dad!" she exclaimed.
"Okay, okay." He raised both hands in surrender. "Where did that young man say he was going again?"
"He is in his kin— I mean, country."
She quickly corrected herself and silently prayed that her father hadn't noticed the slip.
Thankfully, he didn't.
He merely frowned.
"The holiday just ended. Shouldn't he have handled whatever it was during the break?"
"You're right. It came on short notice," Alice replied smoothly. "His father is terribly ill, and as the first son, he was called back home."
The lie came naturally.
Before Felix left, he had made her promise not to tell anyone where he was truly going.
After all, who would believe that a young man from this modern era had returned to his country to fight in a war?
Nobody would.
"All right, young lady." Her father smiled. "You should get going now and find your new dormitory. You're a second-year student now. You weren't expecting to remain in the same dorm forever, were you?"
Alice groaned dramatically.
"Hurry along before you're marked absent."
Pretending to be offended, she leaned forward and hugged him.
"Bye, Dad."
"Take care of yourself."
"I always do."
After saying her goodbyes, she stepped out of the car with her luggage and began walking toward her beloved school.
The familiar sight of the campus brought a small smile to her lips.
For a brief moment, everything felt normal.
Then the screaming started.
At first, it was only a few excited voices.
Soon, dozens joined in.
Students began rushing toward the front gate, gathering around something—or someone.
The noise grew louder by the second.
Curiosity got the better of her.
Standing on her tiptoes, Alice peeked over the crowd.
What she saw made her freeze.
A handsome young man was stepping out of one of several expensive black cars that formed a convoy.
The crowd erupted.
"Oh my God!"
"He's even more handsome now!"
"Look at him!"
Alice rolled her eyes.
Don't get me wrong. No one could ever be more handsome than Felix in my eyes.
Nobody.
Felix was, and would always remain, the most handsome boy alive.
Still...
The man standing before them was undeniably attractive.
He appeared to be only slightly shorter than Felix. His caramel-colored hair gleamed under the sunlight, and his hazel eyes seemed to captivate everyone around him.
More importantly, he looked strangely similar to Felix.
The same sharp jawline.
The same straight nose.
The same powerful presence.
The only real difference was their hair and eyes.
Felix possessed piercing blue eyes and dark black hair so beautiful that girls practically fainted whenever he casually ran his fingers through it.
The stranger suddenly swept his gaze across the crowd as though searching for someone.
Then his eyes landed directly on Alice.
A gentle smile appeared on his face.
Alice's entire body went rigid.
A cold sweat broke out across her back.
Why?
Why did that smile make her feel so uneasy?
Why did it feel as though ten thousand invisible knives were hidden behind it?
The smile was warm.
Friendly.
Yet every instinct in her body screamed danger.
Without waiting another second, she spun around and marched toward the school building with quick, determined steps.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
Something told her this semester was not going to be peaceful.
And judging by the feeling crawling down her spine, it might be far more complicated than the last one.
Much, much worse.