Chapter 4
Eliana's days soon blurred into a steady rhythm of lectures, tutoring sessions with Maddie, and stolen glances at Stephen. She told herself she was being ridiculous—Stephen probably didn't even remember her name—but her heart still betrayed her every time he entered a room.
One afternoon, after an exhausting economics seminar, Maddie nudged her as they packed their books.
"Guess who just asked me where you were?" Maddie whispered.
Eliana's head snapped up. "Who?"
"Stephen," Maddie said casually, like she hadn't just dropped a bombshell.
Eliana froze. "You're joking."
Maddie smirked. "Do I look like I'm joking? He asked if you were around. Said he wanted to talk about… study groups or something. But we both know what that means."
Eliana shook her head, her cheeks burning. "No, no. You must have misunderstood."
But Maddie's grin told her otherwise.
What Eliana didn't know was that Maddie had been orchestrating these little moments from the beginning. Maddie had always liked William—his quiet strength, his focus, his old-money charm—but William's gaze had never strayed from Eliana. Maddie had recognized it the moment she saw them together at orientation. And that recognition had lit a quiet fury inside her.
So if William wanted Eliana, Maddie would make sure Eliana's attention drifted elsewhere. To Stephen. To anyone who would distract her.
Maddie was careful, though. She dropped comments into conversations, steered Stephen toward Eliana at gatherings, made sure Eliana was in the right place at the right time. A puppet master in designer heels.
And it was working. Slowly, Stephen was noticing Eliana. Or at least, he thought he was doing it on his own.
Meanwhile, William had his own quiet storm brewing.
From across the library or the lecture hall, he found himself drawn to Eliana—not in the loud, obvious way most guys pursued girls, but with a kind of steady interest. He noticed the way her brow furrowed in concentration, the way she tapped her pen against her notebook when she was stuck on a problem, the way she always seemed to look out for Maddie despite Maddie's reckless streak.
William admired her discipline, her humility. It was so different from the world he came from, where people flaunted their wealth like it was oxygen.
But William was also cautious. He'd seen Eliana looking at Stephen. He wasn't blind. And as much as it tightened something in his chest, he refused to rush in. If Eliana was meant to see him, she would.
So he lingered in the background, patient, watchful, quietly determined.
That Friday night, Maddie dragged Eliana to another dorm party under the guise of "networking." The music was loud, the room hazy with perfume and laughter. Eliana hated the chaos but followed Maddie anyway, clutching a soda like a lifeline.
"Relax," Maddie whispered, pulling her toward the crowd. "Tonight's going to be fun."
It wasn't until Eliana spotted Stephen near the balcony, leaning casually against the railing, that she understood what Maddie meant.
"Go on," Maddie urged, giving her a little shove.
Eliana's heart thundered as she approached. She told herself she was only going to say hello, nothing more. But when Stephen turned and saw her, his smile was warm, disarming.
"Hey, Eliana, right?" he said, like he'd known her all along.
For a second, she forgot how to breathe. "Y-yes."
He gestured to the space beside him. "You're Maddie's friend, yeah? I've seen you around. You're always studying."
Eliana laughed nervously. "I guess that's me."
They talked for a while—about classes, professors, even the city. Stephen was charming, easygoing, everything she'd imagined. When he leaned in to say something over the music, Eliana felt her pulse race in her throat.
From across the room, Maddie watched, her smile sharp as glass.
And from the doorway, unnoticed, William stood for a brief moment, his jaw tightening before he turned and left.
That night, as Eliana lay in bed replaying every word Stephen had said, she felt torn between the dream she thought she wanted and the quiet comfort she didn't yet understand.
Sparks were flying, but shadows were already gathering.