Adira's POV
The ballroom glittered with chandeliers, champagne, and power. The kind of event where deals worth millions were sealed with a handshake, and reputations rose or shattered with a headline.
I hated these nights. But when you were Adira Williams daughter of the richest man in Africa, CEO of The Study Spot Group attendance wasn't optional.
I had barely stepped inside when I heard a familiar laugh.
"Addy!"
I turned to see Tiana, the friend I'd made back in boarding school. She was radiant, her gown a shimmering gold. We hadn't seen each other in weeks, but Tiana always had a way of making it feel like no time had passed.
"Girl, look at you," she teased, hugging me tightly. "Boardroom boss turned cover star. You've officially left the rest of us in the dust."
I smiled despite myself. "Hardly. You're the reason I survived boarding school. Without you, I'd have lost my mind."
She winked. "And now you get to return the favor. Don't leave me stranded with these boring bankers."
I laughed, tension easing until I saw him.
Jayden.
Leaning casually near the stage, his suit perfectly cut, his gaze locked on me the second I looked up.
My stomach twisted. Even across a crowded room, he had a way of making it feel like there were only two people breathing.
Before I could react, Sam appeared at my side, her presence grounding me. "Deep breaths, Addy. Pretend you're dissecting this party like a biology lesson. You'll survive."
I smirked. "I always do."
But then I heard a voice I hadn't heard in years.
"Adira Williams."
I froze. Turned.
Kendrick.
Gone was the reckless boy with tinted hair and a cruel laugh. In his place stood a man in a tailored suit, clean-cut, confident in a way that didn't scream arrogance but control. He was broader now, sharper. But his eyes — the ones that used to flash with rebellion — were steady, calculating.
"You've grown," he said, lips twitching into something between a smile and a challenge.
"So have you," I replied coolly.
"Investment banking suits me better than detention halls," he said lightly. "And you... coffee shops into millions? Impressive."
I blinked. "You've been keeping tabs."
"Everyone keeps tabs on the Williams family," he said, but there was something in his tone that suggested otherwise.
Before I could respond, Ashley swept into the circle like she owned it. Cameras flashed. She was stunning, as always, her silver gown catching every light.
"Darling sister," she purred, looping her arm through mine. "And look, we've gathered the whole old gang. How nostalgic."
Her eyes darted to Jayden, then Kendrick, then back to me, her smirk sharp enough to cut.
"Try not to embarrass yourself tonight, Addy. This room isn't a classroom, and I won't clean up your mess."
Sam stiffened beside me, ready to bite back, but I squeezed her hand. Not tonight.
Tiana muttered under her breath, "Some people never evolve."
But Jayden's voice cut through, low and firm.
"I think we'll let Adira's empire speak for itself."
Ashley's smirk faltered for half a second, then returned. "Oh, Jayden. Always so noble."
And in that instant, standing between my best friend, my boarding school sister, my past tormentor-turned-investment banker, my twin nemesis, and the boy who had become a billionaire I realized the past had finally caught up.
And it wasn't leaving anytime soon.