«2 YEARS AGO, PRINCE MEMORIAL HIGHSCHOOL»
"Who can tell me the name of the Demon Crown Prince mentioned in the History of Ashkaroth — the records of Albaton Palace?" the history teacher asked.
Her sharp eyes moved from student to student as she walked between the rows, tapping her cane lightly against the floor.
She wore fitted jeans and a polo jacket, her hair tied back in a neat ponytail.
Her gaze was keen and watchful — almost catlike — as she studied their faces.
The students exchanged glances and immediately pretended to think hard.
Some tapped their heads, while others rubbed their temples as if searching for the answer.
The teacher sat on the edge of a desk, her gaze fixed on its owner — Thalira.
Sweat beaded along Thalira's cheek as she forced herself to look thoughtful.
In truth, her mind was blank.
She could feel the teacher's stare burning into her, and it only made her more nervous.
"I'll repeat the question, because I don't understand how such a simple one could leave you this drenched in sweat. Tell me — what is the name of the Demon Crown Prince mentioned in the History of Ashkaroth, the records of Albaton Palace?" the teacher said.
Her lips curled into a smirk as she lifted one eyebrow.
Thalira swallowed hard.
The rest of the students quietly exhaled in relief, grateful that the pressure was no longer on them.
Thalira glanced at her friends, but they only laughed at her in silence. Irritation flared inside her, and she silently vowed to deal with them later.
Her eyes fell on Daniel, who had just entered the classroom with one earpiece tucked into his ear and his bag slung over his left arm.
He took his seat, pulled out his mathematics book, and immediately began solving problems.
She bit her lip.
Because of his brilliance, no teacher liked putting him on the spot or trying to lecture him for long — he often seemed more like a teacher himself.
He frequently corrected them and asked deep questions they struggled to answer, which was the main reason they avoided calling on him in class.
As a result, he was given the freedom to do almost anything he wanted.
He was the top student in the entire school and came from the wealthiest family in the country — and here she was, crushing on someone completely out of her league.
"Daniel," Thalira blurted out, then quickly shifted her gaze back to the teacher.
"Daniel was the name of the beast in the Ashkaroth records. I mean, in the Bible, Daniel defeated lions, tigers, and leopards. A beast with that kind of power? Everyone would definitely name him Daniel."
Her words were spoken with such seriousness that all eyes widened as the students exchanged glances — before bursting into laughter.
The teacher could hardly believe her ears at such nonsense.
Daniel's pen froze on the page as he slowly turned his head toward her.
"The school restroom. You'll be cleaning it for a week — that's your punishment for this nonsense," the teacher said.
She stood up and turned, beginning to walk toward the board.
Thalira ran her hands through her hair, tangling it in frustration, while the students continued to laugh.
"That will be all for today. In my next class, I expect a correct answer," the teacher said, packing up her books before leaving.
Thalira buried her face in her chair, sniffing quietly, while Daniel sighed, his eyes fixed on her.
"What was the name of the Demon Crown Prince mentioned in the History of Ashkaroth — the records of Albaton Palace?" one of the students asked, mimicking the teacher's voice mockingly.
Thalira bit her lip hard.
"Daniel, Daniel was the name of the beast in the Ashkaroth records. I mean, in the Bible, Daniel defeated lions, tigers, and leopards. A beast with that kind of power? Everyone would definitely name him Daniel," one of the students replied, mimicking Thalira's voice.
The rest of the class burst into laughter — all except Daniel, whose gaze remained fixed on her.
He opened his bag and pulled out the Ashkaroth Book of History.
Glancing at her, he sighed before putting it back and returning to his mathematics book. When the noise in the classroom became unbearable, Thalira stood up and ran out.
Daniel's eyes followed her as she left.
Slowly, he packed up his book and slung his bag over his left shoulder, heading toward the door — only to be blocked by Kyla.
She stood there, pouting, arms folded behind her back, dressed in a short skirt, long socks with sandals, a shirt and jacket, and a school cap perched atop her hair.
Kyla Adams was his childhood friend — the only friend he had at school — and the second most brilliant student in the class.
"What now?" he asked lazily.
Kyla pouted even more, blinking at him in a deliberately cute way. He scoffed and glanced toward the direction Thalira had gone, clearly not paying her any attention.
Following his gaze, Kyla's eyes fell on hallway, and she remembered seeing her use the root. She looked back at him, noticing how restless he seemed, and let out a small scoff of her own.
They weren't in the same class — Kyla was in Class B, and Daniel was in Class A.
She often visited him during free periods, though they usually spent their time together at lunch.
"Would you like to go to the mall with me? My birthday's coming up soon, and you're the only friend I have. I'd really like you to come with me tomorrow to help pick out an outfit," Kyla said.
At last, Daniel shifted his gaze back to her.
"I'll be busy then, Kyla," he muttered, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder as he began to leave.
Kyla's fists clenched, her teeth grinding. This was the first time he had ever turned her down.
"Thalira Romans," she muttered through gritted teeth, a wicked smirk spreading across her face.
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NEXT DAY»
SPARK!
The sound echoed through the restroom as Kyla's hand struck Thalira's cheek while she was busy with her week-long punishment.
Her hair fell messily across her face, and her lips quivered from the impact.
Kyla's minions, Surita and Volvo, chuckled, rolling their gum around their fingers as they watched.
"Daniel Harrison is off-limits. You can crush on him from afar, but don't you dare let him notice you. Any inappropriate move toward him — and it won't just be a crush, on your bones" Kyla warned, grabbing Thalira by the collar and pulling her closer, her eyes blazing.
Thalira swallowed hard, sweat trickling down her cheeks, as she met Kyla's intense gaze.
"I'll put you in the same position as everyone who goes from crushing to confessing," she said with a dark smirk.
"I'll break you — piece by piece."
She shoved Thalira away.
Thalira staggered back, slamming into the wall as Kyla and her two companions burst into cruel laughter.
A single tear slid down Thalira's cheek as she stared at them helplessly.
Just like Daniel's parents, who were the wealthiest family in the country, Kyla Adams's family held immense power as well.
They were the third richest, and her father owned the school.
Fighting back would only put her own family in danger — and she knew it.
Thalira's mother died shortly after giving birth, leaving her with only her father.
Though he was a poor mechanic, he made sure she attended one of the most expensive schools, paying every fee without complaint — determined to give her the best life she could possibly deserve.
For his sake, she would endure it all.
Every bully, every ounce of hatred — she would bury it deep within herself, all for the man who cared for her so devotedly.
Kyla stepped into the restroom, grabbed a toilet brush, and jabbed Thalira in the shoulder with it.
Her friends laughed, watching the scene unfold.
"I heard the history teacher asked you one of the simplest questions on earth, yet out of all the answers you could have given, you chose the name of your crush," Kyla said coldly.
"Someone like you has no right to say his name so carelessly with that filthy mouth of yours you hardly brush"
She leaned closer, her voice dropping into a dangerous whisper.
"Next time you dare replace his name with that beast Duncan again, I'll make sure you regret ever opening your mouth. I'll make your life here unbearable — every single day."
Kyla pressed the toilet brush hard against Thalira's shoulder to emphasize her words.
Thalira winced, biting her lip so hard it hurt, refusing to let the tears fall as Kyla pulled away.
Kyla smirked in satisfaction before dropping the brush.
She turned to leave, deliberately kicking the bucket of water aside, then walked out with her minions trailing behind her.
"Duncan…?" Thalira whispered faintly.
Blood trickled from her nose as she clutched her throbbing shoulder and neck.
Against her chest, the silver stone of her necklace pendant glimmered brightly.
After mopping the restroom again, she stepped out — only to bump into a hard chest. Strong hands immediately steadied her as a sharp headache pounded through her skull.
"Careful next time," the owner of the firm voice said.
She nodded, her eyes squeezed shut as she pressed her palm against her forehead.
The boy began to walk away.
She quickly turned to see who it was, but all she caught was his back — tall, hands tucked into his pockets, an earbud in his left ear.
She frowned slightly.
His voice didn't sound familiar.
Perhaps he was a student from Class B.
She stood there for a moment, watching him disappear down the corridor.
"Could it be… Carlos? The C40 band leader?" she wondered, pouting slightly as she stood there holding the bucket and mop, completely distracted by his retreating figure.
She blinked and quickly shook herself out of it.
"What am I even thinking?" she muttered under her breath.
She shook her head repeatedly, kissing her teeth in frustration, before exhaling sharply and running her fingers through her hair.
As she started to leave the hallway, students instinctively shifted aside to let her pass.
Some covered their noses as they hurried by, while others waved their hands in the air, trying to escape the lingering stench.
Thalira pressed her clothes to her nose and sniffed, and her eyes widened in horror.
She smelled like… poop.
Her cheeks flushed, and for a moment she froze in place, mortified. Then, the memory of the boy she had bumped into flashed in her mind.
Her eyes widened even more.
He… he had told her to be careful?
Even when she smelled this badly?
She spun around, disbelief written all over
her face, as though the universe had played the cruelest joke on her.
"Who the heck is he?"
Thalira's face burned red as she glared down the hallway, half expecting him to appear and laugh at her.
But he didn't.
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FREDRICK—MECHANIC»
SHOP»
A tall, handsome man in his late forties stood beside a broken-down car, its hood propped open as he worked on the engine.
A torch rested beneath the brim of his cap, illuminating the grease-stained machinery.
His mechanic's overalls were smeared with oil from long hours of labor.
Fredrick Romans, Thalira's father.
Suddenly, a car came to a halt in front of the shop.
A tall, muscular man in his late fifties stepped out, dark sunglasses shielding his eyes — Busco James, the owner of the shop.
Two heavily built men followed from the front seats, positioning themselves behind him as his bodyguards.
They entered the shop together.
At the sight of them, Fredrick swallowed hard. He carefully closed the car hood, removed the torch from his cap, and switched it off, fighting to steady his trembling hands.
Busco dragged a chair over and sat down, crossing his legs leisurely.
He pulled out a cigarette and a lighter, slipped the cigarette between his lips, and smirked before flicking the flame.
Holding it between his fingers, he took a long drag and slowly blew out the smoke.
"You promised the money would be ready today, Fredrick Romans. Where is it?" Busco demanded.
Fredrick fell to his knees, hands clasped tightly, trembling with fear. Busco's smirk darkened as he watched him.
"Please, just give me a little more time, and I promise I'll pay you back," Fredrick pleaded, lying flat on the floor, tears streaming down his face.
"The money was ready, but I had to use it to pay for my daughter's school fees. I'm saving the rest — please, have patience with me."
Busco slowly removed his sunglasses, his gaze fixed on him.
"School fees? Your precious daughter's school fees matter more than my money, is that it?" His voice was colder than ice.
Fredrick shook his head frantically.
Busco stepped forward, squatting in front of him, and took a long drag from his cigarette before slowly exhaling the smoke.
Busco grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close, and blew smoke directly into his face.
Fredrick coughed violently, his eyes turning red.
Busco slapped him across the cheek with such force that he fell, but before he could recover, Busco grabbed his collar again and struck him so brutally that his lips split.
"Your daughter is more important than my money, huh?" Busco asked as he rose to his feet, placing his hands on his waist.
He spat out the cigarette and brushed his hair back before turning sharply toward him. Then he began matching him repeatedly.
Fredrick cried out in pain, his voice echoing helplessly through the shop.
"Beat him till he went breathless… make sure to crush all his bones and render his legs useless" Busco spoke ruthlessly, and Fredrick's eyes widened in terror.
Busco smirked wickedly and rose to his feet, turning to leave as the bodyguards stepped forward and began beating Fredrick.
Moments later, Busco entered his car and drove off.
"DAD!!" Thalira cried as she rushed into the shop.
The food she had bought slipped from her hands and spilled across the floor.
She ran toward the men, tears streaming down her face, desperately trying to push them away—but they were far too strong.
"DAD!!!" she screamed again.
She struck at them with shaking hands, kicked wildly, and even bit them in her desperation, but nothing she did slowed them down.
They continued without stopping.
She inhaled sharply, then lunged forward with wild speed.
She jumped onto one of them, gripping his hair and pulling with all her strength. He thrashed violently, trying to shake her off, but she sank her teeth into his ear.
"Ahh!" he screamed, clutching his face as blood began to show.
Another figure burst into the shop and immediately turned on the other guard, striking him relentlessly without mercy.
Fredrick lay nearby, dazed and weak, blood trickling from his nose and mouth.
Thalira continued biting, clinging tightly to his back, the silver stone pendant on her necklace glowing brightly.
Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of the figure dealing with the other guard.
Her hands froze. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened.
Daniel Harrison.
He sat astride the man, delivering blow after merciless blow with ruthless precision.
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༆𝑻𝑩𝑪༆
🔥🔥✨