The Marino Estate – Power's Calm
The Lonsdaleite estate glittered under the moonlight, its wide windows glowing like a fortress of crystal. Inside the great dining room, the remaining staff moved silently, clearing away untouched plates of caviar and lamb.
At the head of the long table, Don Alessandro Marino, the father, leaned back in his chair with a glass of wine. His eyes were sharp, calculating, though his lips carried the faintest curl of amusement. Across from him, Seraphina Marino, once a bronze herself, sat upright, her elegant hands folded neatly in her lap. But her expression wasn't amused. It was thoughtful—tinged with worry.
"They've made their choice visible sooner than I expected," Alessandro remarked. "Bronze girls. Ordinary. Powerless. But chosen by obsidian." He sipped his wine slowly. "The school must be in chaos."
Livia's brow furrowed. "Chaos follows them because they are still children, Alessandro. You cannot expect them to live as machines. They feel, they want."
Her husband's chuckle echoed in the vast hall. "Want? Their wants can change governments, my dear. Even presidents tremble at the idea of obsidian favor. You remember what it was like—when I chose you."
Her eyes flashed, soft but firm. "Yes. And I also remember how the world turned on me. I will not watch our daughters turn bronze girls into prey for jealous mouths. If they truly care for them, we must protect those girls—not use them."
Alessandro waved a hand dismissively. "Livia, love is a luxury. Power is survival. If the triplets wish for bronze companionship, so be it. But everyone must understand—they belong to us now. Anyone who touches them dies."
At that moment, Thorne entered discreetly. "Sir, the press has already picked up the rumors. Gold families are furious. Silver students' parents are whispering of alliances. And—" his voice lowered—"other schools have contacted us, extending invitations for the triplets to transfer."
Alessandro smirked. "Ah, desperation. They want to steal our daughters' presence to elevate themselves."
Livia stood, her red silk gown trailing like a river of fire behind her. "They are not pawns, Alessandro. They are our daughters. And if they are serious about these bronze girls, we must give them space to choose. Not every bond is a strategy."
For a moment, silence reigned between them. He studied her, then finally raised his glass in concession. "Perhaps. But obsidian love, Livia, is never gentle. The bronzes' families will soon learn that." He dropped his wine glass on the table and walked over to her softly. He gently took her hand and kissed it softly, and she smiled at him.
The Bronze Households – Fear's Weight
Chiara Lombardi's Home
The Lombardi apartment smelled faintly of wood polish and old books. Chiara's father, Marco Lombardi, a carpenter with calloused hands, paced the small living room. Her mother, Giulia, sat nervously at the sewing machine, the unfinished dress on her lap forgotten.
"They will ruin her life," Marco muttered. "The Marino's bring only danger. Every family in this city knows it."
Giulia shook her head softly. "But she is… glowing tonight. Did you see her? Something in her has changed. Maybe…"
"Maybe what?" Marco snapped, though his voice cracked. "That our bronze girl could ever belong in their world? Don't fool yourself, Giulia. Obsidian does not love. They consume."
From her bedroom door, Chiara listened quietly, hugging her pillow to her chest. Her father's words stabbed, but in her heart, she couldn't erase the way Valentina had smiled when saying her name.
Elena Petrescu's Home
The Petrescus' tiny flat was above a clinic, where Elena's mother worked endless shifts as a nurse. That evening, Ana Petrescu came home exhausted, her uniform still stained. When she saw her daughter waiting in the kitchen, her expression hardened. "Elena," she said, voice weary but firm. "I heard about the Marinos today. Everyone did."
Elena's jaw tightened. "I didn't ask for their attention". They just—"
"They just what? Choose you?" Ana's tired eyes were sharp as steel. "Do you understand what that means? You'll be hated. Envied.
Used as a weapon against them. You think obsidian love is romance? It's war, Elena."
Elena swallowed, her defiance flickering. She wanted to argue, to shout back—but in her chest, the memory of Isabella's unwavering gaze steadied her. "Maybe I'm not afraid of war, mama."
Her mother's sigh was long, full of exhaustion and fear. "Then I pray you are strong enough."
Maya Kapoor's Home
The Kapoor family's restaurant was still alive with chatter and clinking plates. Maya slipped into the back, where her father, Raj Kapoor, was balancing the books while her mother, Meera, stirred curry on the stove. They looked up when she entered, both smiling tiredly. But the smiles faded when Raj tapped his phone, showing her a newsfeed filled with posts about the Marinos.
"Maya…" Meera whispered, voice trembling. "Why are they saying your name with theirs?"
Maya's throat tightened. "Because they noticed me."
Her father leaned forward, brows furrowed. "Bronze is invisible, Maya. That is how we survive. You think being noticed is a blessing? It is a curse. Obsidian can protect you, yes, but it will also put you in the fire."
She lowered her gaze. Part of her wanted to agree. But Sofia's words whispered in her mind: "Your world is exactly why I noticed you." And for the first time, Maya wondered if being invisible was truly living.
The world was shifting. The Marino triplets had already set fire to the hierarchy at Le Rosey. But now, their flames licked at the edges of ordinary families and rival dynasties alike. And none of them—not even obsidian—could control where the blaze would spread. Because other schools have started to notice us and them too, while some were scheming and planning for alliances to get us on their sides.
The three of us invited them to our house. The bell rang at Le Rosey, releasing a flood of voices and footsteps into the golden evening. Students poured into the courtyard, their chatter buzzing like a hive. Gold girls shot dagger-like glances, silvers whispered behind cupped hands, and even bronzes lingered at the edges, hungry for gossip. All day, the rumors had swirled. The Marinos and their bronzes — seen together in the corridors, whispered about during lunch, eyed in every classroom. Whispers had turned to stares, and stares into heavy silence whenever the triplets walked by.
Valentina, Isabella, and Sofia hardly seemed to notice. Their obsidian beads shimmered faintly as they moved through the crowd with their usual elegance, but tonight, their attention wasn't on the school or its hierarchy. It was on the three bronze girls waiting near the gate.
Chiara clutched her worn leather book to her chest, eyes downcast but lips twitching nervously. Elena leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her fiery hair catching the last of the sun as if she could set the world ablaze with her defiance. Maya fiddled with the strap of her bag, glancing between the triplets and the ground, trying to disappear into herself.
Valentina stopped before them, crimson lips curving in a soft smile. "Come home with us tonight." The words were simple, but the effect was immediate.
Chiara blinked, startled. Elena raised her brows, clearly ready to argue. Maya looked as though she'd forgotten how to breathe.
"Our house," Isabella added, voice cool but certain, "is quieter than this circus. We want to spend the evening with you."
Sofia tilted her head, her golden-brown hair brushing against her cheek. "If you want to."
Elena scoffed softly, but her cheeks flushed. "And what if our parents say no?"
"Then ask them," Valentina said smoothly. "We'll wait."
Phones came out, voices murmured into receivers. One by one, the bronzes secured permission. Their parents were hesitant — shocked even — but the name Marino carried a weight that settled all doubts. When Maya hung up last, her fingers trembling, she whispered, "They said yes."
"Good," Sofia said, her lips curving. "Then let's go."
The Ride Home
Xavier was already waiting by the gates, standing beside the gleaming Rolls-Royce. The students who lingered on the steps stared openly, some with envy, others with awe. To ride in that car, to be invited into that world, was more than most could ever dream. The bronze girls hesitated as the triplets ushered them inside. The leather seats were softer than anything they had ever touched. The car smelled faintly of sandalwood and expensive polish. Outside, the school disappeared behind tinted windows.
Valentina sat close to Chiara, her knee brushing hers in the dim light. Each time their legs touched, Chiara's breath caught, though she tried to hide it by clutching her book tighter.
Isabella leaned against the window, her gaze fixed ahead, but her hand rested casually close to Elena's. The fiery girl pretended not to notice, but her eyes flickered down once, betraying her awareness.
Sofia sat beside Maya, the quietest of the three bronzes. Their shoulders brushed, and each bump in the road made the space between them shrink further. Maya's eyes darted nervously toward Sofia, but Sofia only smiled faintly, as though she had been expecting this closeness all along.
The city lights faded as the car wound its way into the hills of St. Moritz, where the Marino estate lay.