The paneled conference room on the top floor of the Elites University Administration Building was shrouded in tension. It wasn’t on any official timetable or student bulletin board. No students knew this meeting was happening—not yet. But the weight of its outcome would ripple through every hallway and courtyard before the week was over.At the head of the long oval table sat Chancellor Reuben Garth, flanked by Vice-Chancellor Lydia Brook and Dean of Student Affairs Malcolm Evers. Twelve other board members, mostly elder men and women with tenure, legal backgrounds, or major donor influence, filled the rest of the seats.They were here for one reason: Chance Franklin.The social media storm hadn’t died down as the incident from Chance’s past—prom night at Willow Heights Academy—was now the centerpiece of a raging ethical debate.Among many things that ESU was known for, it was also a school where indiscipline was not tolerated and when anything that appears to threaten the legacy and

In the morning, Chloe and Chance stood at the edge of the train platform, bundled in coats, faces set in quiet determination. Chance knew he had to make this journey to clear his name, after which he would now get back at Prince Harry for crossing the line and picking him as an enemy.Their train to Vermont rumbled forward, cutting through city limits and into quiet landscapes dotted with snow-dusted trees. Neither spoke much during the ride. Chloe kept her gaze on the window, sketchbook on her lap but untouched. Chance was just quiet, imagining what the outcome of this meeting would be. The plan was for Chloe to meet up with Gina first and then get her to say the truth about what happened on prom night, of course with a secret recording where he would be out with a camera.But that would only happen if they noticed any sign of reluctance from Gina. But if at the end of the day she is willing to cooperate with them, then they would not have to trick her into getting the evidence they

The car ride home from the Vermont Renewal Center was quiet at first—not the kind of silence that stretched awkwardly between people—but one that echoed with everything already said. A silence that didn’t need to be filled.Chloe broke the silence first.“She was brave.”Chance nodded, eyes still on the road. “Yeah.”“You were too,” she added, her voice gentler now. “I know that couldn’t have been easy for you… hearing all of that again. Reliving it.”Chance let out a short-lived smile. “It wasn’t. But it needed to happen.”There was a pause, then Chloe said, “You handled it with grace. The way you comforted her, protected her—you didn’t even let your own pain take center stage.”He gave a small, humorless chuckle. “Guess I’ve gotten good at swallowing things down.”By the time they reached the outskirts of the city, night had fully fallen. The roads glittered with wet reflections of streetlights, and buildings stood in hushed rows like silent sentinels. They still had unfinished bus

Chance was alone in his room playing his favourite video game when a faint knock at the door interrupted him, making him pause the game“Come in,” Chance said, as he didn’t need anyone to tell him who it was that was knocking.After the argument with his mom over the case from the high school prom, which later resurfaced after four years, they had not really been on good terms.He was still angry that all his mother cared about was her political ambition, which was the actual reason she had asked him to return home.He only wished she could see beyond that and also realize that he too was her son and not just the heir to the most powerful empire in the United States, if not even in the whole world.The door opened with a soft click, and Julia stepped in. She wasn’t surprised when she saw how messy the room was, knowing exactly what was going on behind those closed doors.Whenever that door was shut, and the room was that messy, it only meant one thing—Chance was angry at her and was d

The elevator doors to the Banks mansion opened with a soft ding. Gary stepped inside first, loosening his tie like a man returning from battle—only this one had ended in laughter, not blood.He had done a good job in helping Chance carry out his revenge against the prince and he felt really satisfied.Chance was already waiting by the bar, pouring two glasses of sparkling water like it was champagne.He didn’t need anyone to tell him the outcome of the meeting, as he could bet his life that Gary had delivered his role flawlessly.That was the one thing he missed about Gary. Though they were half-brothers, they related so much like brothers that one would not be able to tell that they were not actually real siblings.Back then in high school, it was always the two of them doing things together. And even if Gary was a senior student, he never made Chance feel less or the son of his father’s wife. The two of them had grown up together, becoming the sibling that neither of them had.Now,