I hugged Bella so tight, burying my face in her hair. The sweet scent of her shampoo made my chest ache. Her face had softened, and I could tell, she was going to miss me just as much as I would miss her. Our closeness, our little conversations, our playful teasing, it was the kind of bond distance could never touch.
My suitcase was already waiting at the doorway, neatly packed just as my mother had instructed. Last night I had arranged everything we'd bought on our shopping trip, folding and refolding until it was perfect. I'd even set my alarm for 6 a.m. and somehow managed to wake up on time, though I'd sat on the bed for minutes with sleep still heavy in my eyes before dragging myself to the bathroom to brush my teeth.
The girls had been so excited when I told them. I'd promised to send them pictures of everything, the school grounds, the fountains, even the classrooms.
It had taken me an hour to get dressed and draw the suitcase out. Finally, I stood in the middle of my room and whispered, "I'll be back soon." One last look before I shut the door.
Bella's small hand slipped into mine as we walked out, and my eyes drifted to my mum, adjusting her joggers. She had taken the day off work just for me. When she looked at me, her shoulders softened. She stretched out her arms.
"Come here," she said gently.
I fell into her embrace.
"You're going to adjust just fine," she whispered, as if she could sense the uneasiness written on my face. "Just make a few friends, and you'll see." She tucked a stray lock of my hair behind my ear.
"I don't think I will," I admitted honestly. "From what I saw in the exam hall…they look snobby. Rich. Not my type."
Mum only smiled knowingly. "We'll see."
She grabbed the handle of my big black suitcase, the one I'd bought in America months ago. It was heavy with everything I needed for school. I followed her as she wheeled it to the car trunk. I didn't wait to watch her shut it before sliding into the passenger seat. Bella climbed in after me, already bubbling with chatter.
"And Leo offered me his jacket when the wind was too much on the playground," she said, her eyes sparkling.
I turned, instantly intrigued. "Leo? Is that his name?"
Her cheeks warmed.
"Your crush?" I teased, raising a brow.
She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes…but no feelings yet."
"Uh-huh. Did you take his jacket?"
"Yes. I was cold, and I left mine in my bag," she said with a shrug. Then she giggled. "And he smelled like lavender."
I smiled knowingly. That attention to detail… Bella was me years ago, when Joseph had been my love at first sight.
"Bella," I teased softly, "it seems to me you're already catching feelings."
She waved me off. "No, he's just a friend. Nothing else."
"Mm-hm. If you say so."
Mum slid into the driver's seat, her perfume filling the car. I leaned forward, connecting my Bluetooth to the radio. Within a minute, a soft indie ballad filled the car—a non-popular song I'd found and fallen in love with weeks ago. The kind of music that surrounds you like a secret.
I nodded along to the beat, singing quietly. Bella chimed in, and for a moment the world felt light, even as the car pulled away from our home. I watched the house fade from sight, a lump forming in my throat.
Traffic slowed us down, but I didn't mind. I scrolled through my phone, searching once again for information about the Red Dynasty. Every blog said the same thing: confidential. Until they took over their empire, no pictures, no leaks. Only rumors. My curiosity only deepened.
My stomach growled, so I reached into the compartment between the seats and pulled out the packet of chips I'd left there yesterday. Tearing it open, I poured some into my palm and handed Bella the rest. We munched quietly as Selena Gomez's voice filled the car, one of our favorite songs.
By the time we stopped at Bella's school, my chest ached again. I held her hand. "Bell, I'll call you every day," I promised.
She smiled, brave and small.
I waved until she disappeared from sight, the packet of chips still clutched in her hand.
The journey stretched. What should have been three hours became four, thanks to traffic. But when we finally drove through the massive gates of Dale's High, I forgot my exhaustion.
The security guards checked us at the gate, and then we were directed down a long, manicured road. Perfectly trimmed lawns, fountains sparkling, and buildings that looked like they had been lifted out of a European city.
My heart skipped as we pulled into the driveway of the Admissions Office.
The air was cooler here, sharper, cleaner. Almost…unreal.
Inside, the woman who greeted us was stunning, milk-skinned, a floral red designer dress hugging her figure, stilettos clicking against polished tiles. Her brown hair was pulled into a flawless bun, her perfume subtle but expensive.
"Congratulations, Sophie," she said warmly, sliding a neat stack of papers across the desk. "Dale's High is honored to have you."
Her name was Ha-eun. She spoke in crisp English, her accent carrying hints of Singapore. My hand trembled slightly as I signed the documents, ticking the sciences column. My dream: to study medicine.
"You should be proud," she said after the final signature. "Five thousand students registered for the exam. Twenty-four accepted. Only ten passed. And now you join them. Dale's High believes in keeping our environment…conducive. Especially for the heirs."
The heirs. The word echoed in my head.
When she mentioned the Red Dynasty scholarship, five million dollars a year at Dale's University if you passed with distinction, I swallowed hard. The weight of it was crushing and intoxicating all at once.
Moments later, a tall man in a dark suit appeared. Ha-eun smiled at me one last time. "Mr. Zhang will take you to your class. Your books and uniforms are already delivered to your hostel. Hostel B. You have a roommate waiting."
I hugged my mum outside the office, breathing in her vanilla perfume like it was the last air I'd ever get.
"This is your future, Sophie," she whispered firmly. "Don't let anything distract you. Not here. Not now."
I promised, even though my heart wasn't sure it could keep that promise.
When I finally stepped into the classroom, the world tilted. Wealth radiated from every polished desk, every whispered voice. I sat down quickly, clutching my phone, texting the girls about everything I was seeing, until a shadow fell over me.
I looked up.
My breath caught.
A boy stood there, tall and devastatingly handsome. Red hair that gleamed. His cologne, intoxicating, addictive. His eyes sharp enough to cut.
"You're on what belongs to me," he said calmly, though his tone carried steel.
Confused, I blinked. "Excuse me?"
He dropped his leather bag onto the desk, the Red Dynasty symbol carved boldly into it.
My heart stumbled.
"You're in my seat."
The whispers started around me. I obeyed quickly, moving to the desk he pointed to by the window. My chest was still pounding when another presence loomed in front of me.
My eyes widened.
The same face. Same sharp jawline. But this time, his hair was black, a diamond ring glinting on his nose.
Twins.
My stomach dropped.
He glared at me. "Leave my desk."
I stiffened. "There are plenty of empty seats. I'm fine here."
For a heartbeat, I thought he might let it go.
But then his voice thundered across the room. "Get out of my desk!"
The air froze. My body jolted with fear, and I stumbled away before he shoved past me, slamming his own black leather bag, again, marked with the Red Dynasty symbol, on the desk.
The room seemed to shrink around me.
The teacher's voice cut through the tension.
"Equations," he announced, striding to the board, a sleek glass wall that lights up when he taps it, with the calm authority of someone who knew the weight his words carried. His suit was immaculate, hair perfectly styled, shoes polished until they gleamed. Even his presence smelled expensive.
I tried to steady my breathing, pulling out my notebook like the rest of the class.
"I hear we have new students today," he said, his gaze flicking briefly to me before sweeping across the room. "Welcome to Dale's High, a place of excellence. I will, of course, refresh what we covered this week."
He turned back to the smartboard wall, writing with a stylus.
But then his voice shifted, firmer. "Mr. Dale Lucas. Mr. Dale Nicholas. Kindly remove your headphones."
My heart lurched.
Every eye in the classroom seemed to swing toward them, the twins.
The red-haired one didn't flinch. He tugged out one earbud lazily, his expression unreadable, as if the teacher's request was nothing but background noise.
The black-haired one didn't move at all. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, diamond nose ring glinting. His gaze stayed fixed on me. Piercing. Unrelenting.
My pen slipped from my fingers, clattering softly against the desk. The sound felt deafening in the silence that followed.
The teacher cleared his throat but didn't press further. It was obvious, even he tread carefully around them.
And that's when it clicked.
Dale.
Dale's High.
The heirs weren't just part of the Red Dynasty. They were the sons of the man who built this empire, this entire school. They were Dale's High.
No wonder no one dared to speak. No wonder my classmates kept sneaking glances at me, their expressions a mix of pity and fascination.
I had crossed the line on my very first day. Twice.
Heat flushed my face, and I ducked my head, fumbling for my phone under the desk.
Tessa's message still blinked at me: Met the heirs yet?
My fingers shook as I typed.
Yes. And I think I've just made the worst mistake of my life.
I hit send.
When I looked up again, the black-haired twin was still staring. His lips curved into the faintest smirk, sharp and dangerous, like he already knew something about me I didn't.
And in that moment, I realized, at Dale's High, surviving wasn't about grades or scholarships.
It was about not falling into the crosshairs of the Red Dynasty heirs.
And I already had.